This Week's MIP Digest

The Genderbread Man at Old Rochester Regional, Legal Protections for Pedophilia(?!), Peeking inside the Youth at Risk Conference, and more.

Apr 29, 2023

It’s time for another edition of the MIP Digest!

The MIP Digest is a regular feature where we share the great information that has been posted to the MIP Facebook group during the previous week. The MIP Digest won’t capture all of the interesting comments and conversations that happen in the Facebook group, but it will include the highlights and provide a quick overview of the content, in case you missed it.

First, here are the posts from our Admins:

Old Rochester Regional School District parents: Do you know what your child is learning in Sex Ed?

Thanks to information received from public records requests submitted by Massachusetts Family Institute and a citizen advocate, we can answer that question for you.

If your children attend school in the ORRSD, depending on their age, they might learn:

"The Genderbread Person:" Your gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, sexual attraction and romantic attraction can all be different
"Understanding Terminology" like pansexual, demisexual, asexual, and many other unscientific terms
How to put a condom on a wooden penis
How to consent to sexual activity
How to access a variety of websites that provide a platform for minors to ask unknown adults questions about sex and sexuality
Where to access abortion services
And so much more

Here are just a few of the instructional materials provided by the district:

For a full report on the Sex Ed curriculum and resources being used in the Old Rochester Regional School District, click HERE.

You can also visit the Massachusetts Family Institute interactive Sex Ed Map, linked HERE.

Scroll down until you get to the large map of MA. Click on Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, or Wareham and the ORRSD Sex Ed report will come up.

Don't live in the ORRSD? Click on YOUR town or city to see if we have a report for you! If there isn't a report for your school district yet and you want to help us by submitting a public records request, or if you can provide more (or newer) information about what is being taught in your school district, email us at massinformedparents@gmail.com.

It’s happening in Minnesota… is Massachusetts next?

Genevieve Gluck, one of the incredible journalists over at Reduxx posted a story this week that Must. Not. Be. Missed.

In Minnesota, a state representative has moved to allow sexual attachment to children to be classified as a protected sexual orientation.

The bill, HF1655, makes this change by quietly striking out a portion of the existing statute to remove the current language that specifically prohibits pedophilia from being a protected orientation.

Does the “Youth at Risk” conference put YOUR parental rights at risk?!

If you aren't a professional working with youth in MA, you might not have heard about the "Youth at Risk" conference. But even if you haven't heard about it, it could impact your kids - and your rights as a parent to help them through difficult situations.

Check out the Youth At Risk conference website HERE.

From the website:

"In its 23rd year, the YAR conference offers engaging workshops and the opportunity to obtain continuing education units (CEUs)... the all-day conference is geared toward those working with and caring for youth in various settings—family, community, school, religious, healthcare, human service, and legal. Attendees include social workers, psychologists, youth counselors, family therapists, educators, school adjustment counselors, guidance counselors, community and public health workers, program managers, agency and organization CEOs, police officers, juvenile court personnel, lawyers, and volunteers."

Last year, the YAR conference was attended by 630 registrants. Of the attendees who chose to identify, over 75% were social workers, counselors, psychologists, or educators. See the page from the 2022 event report below for more demographic information. The majority of the attendees work in professions where they are likely to interact directly with children whose parents are not present.

So, what will teachers, social workers, guidance counselors etc. be learning at the YAR conference?

In session 9A, "The Abortion Rights of Teens in Massachusetts," they will be learning how to guide teens into having abortions without parental consent!

From the session description:

"This presentation addresses the abortion rights of teens in Massachusetts. It will detail the legal framework within which they are entitled to obtain an abortion. Specifically focusing on the judicial bypass requirement for younger teens who do not involve their parents. It will also explore their pregnancy decision-making, including whether or not to involve their parents, and the legal concerns relevant to those working with teens seeking an abortion."

Click HERE to see the full agenda and list of other available sessions.

Kids need help sometimes, and professionals like teachers and counselors can be important partners with parents when a child is facing a hardship or struggle. But, teaching professionals how to help (instruct!) minors to avoid involving their parents in a difficult decision like whether or not to have an abortion is just wrong. MA state law allows this, but that doesn't make it right.

It's also worth noting that I could not find a definition on the YAR website of what constitutes an "at risk child" (even though their conference is supposed to be about just that!). In our post-COVID world, many education leaders now view most (or all) students as potentially falling into this category and requiring "Tier 1 intervention" which include SEL instruction and mental health supports. HERE is one such example.

Does YAR support this view too? Do they believe that EVERY student who walks into the school automatically needs intervention and mental health support? How do they classify "at risk?" Could it include your child - without you even knowing? What assumptions and protocol are school administrators and counselors using when they interact with students they have put into this category?

And should a school's designation of "at risk" give them the right to teach a minor child how to get an abortion without talking to their parents about it?

Parents, be aware of the law and what it says, and keep in mind that the professionals who interact with your children might be receiving training on how to help your child make a life-changing decision without your input.

#knowledgeispower
#equippingparents
#protectingkids

Eunuchs, ‘Frankenstein level stuff’ and ISIS: This trans sci-fi horror story is real

Here is another excellent piece from the formidable Brandon Showalter who speaks with strength and compassion on the transgender craze infecting the minds of our youth and destroying their bodies and their futures.

This is an absolute must-read! Click HERE for the link to the article.

From the article:

"Those of us who have peered into this abyss have seen and heard things that will haunt us for decades and it has often felt like we are screaming helplessly into the void. But giving up is not an option and, at long last, we are finally being heard."

MIP, never stop speaking the truth in love. The health and well-being of our children depend upon the courage we are willing to display in the current cultural moment.