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Public Hearing on New Parents Rights
Bill
Would Make
Homosexual Programs
“Opt-In”; Give Parents the Choice
March 26, 2001
A hearing will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27,
for the updated Parents Rights Bill,
Which will make the sexuality and homosexuality
programs “opt-in” instead of “opt-out.”
“Currently, schools place your children into
these classes and it's up to the parents to find out how to get
them out,” says Brian Camenker, President of Parents Rights Coalition.
“It doesn't work. It is purposefully difficult
for the parents and embarrassing for the kids. Many schools, including
mine, ignore the law when they feel like it.
“This new law makes these classes like any other
elective as they should be. It makes ‘homosexuality class’ like
band or French. That is, you sign in your kids if you want, and
if not, your kids are left alone.”
Camenker says the gay activists are “livid” about
the bill and have put out a legislative alert to try and stop it.
He says it is important for parents to go and testify so it can
be voted on by the full legislature.
The hearing will be on Tuesday, March 27, 2001
at 1:00 p.m. in the Massachusetts State House, Room 2B before the
Arts and Education Sub-Committee.
* * *
Full text of the bill is as follows:
An
Act Relative to Parental Notification and Consent
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as
follows:
Chapter 71, Section 32A of the General Laws is hereby
amended to be the following: -
Section 32A. Every city, town, regional school district or
vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum
or portion thereof, or school sanctioned program or activity, which
primarily involves human sexual education, human sexuality issues,
or sexual orientation issues shall adopt a written policy ensuring
parental/guardian notification.
All such curriculum, programs, and activities shall
be offered only in clearly identified non-mandatory elective courses in
which parents or guardians may choose to enroll their children through
written notification to the school, in a manner reasonably similar to other
elective courses offered by the school district.
To the extent practicable, instruction materials and related
items for said curriculum, programs, and activities shall be made
reasonably accessible to parents, guardians, educators, school administrators,
and others for inspection and review.
No public school teacher or administrator shall be
required to participate in any such curriculum, programs, or activities
that violate his or her religious beliefs.
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