Parents in Duxbury Chastised About Sex Education

July 2001

The parents in Duxbury have been chastised by their School Superintendent, Eileen Williams, for being "disrespectful" to teachers.

Problems have arisen because of what the schools are teaching the children in sex education in this upperclass, highly educated town, according to the Quincy Patriot.

The paper reports that Williams read a prepared statement at a school committee meeting saying she is concerned about a "small, vocal group of parents" who have showed "rudeness and disrespect" to teachers, particularly in recent discussions about the sex education program.

"We have had parents ridicule and denigrate the education we are providing to students," she said. "This has been done with half-truths, information out of context and misrepresentation."

According to the paper, the health curriculum has been a hot-button issue at recent school committee meetings, where many parents have expressed concerns about sex education and the age-appropriateness of certain topics taught in classes.

Superintendent Williams was disturbed that the parents went directly to the school committee, instead of lodging their complaints with a teacher or a school principal.

"Parents who are truly interested in the nature and purpose of the instructional activities in which their children are engaged (should) contact and speak with the teachers and administrators involved," she said.

"In this way there can be appropriate discussion regarding the curriculum and the instructional materials utilized and either compromises can be agreed upon or differences of opinion can at least be acknowledged and respected."

Earlier this spring, more than 500 Duxbury parents signed a petition asking for a new subcommittee of parents and educators to review the health curriculum. The school committee's response was only to add more parents to the school health advisory council, which advises the coordinator of health education.

But, according to the paper, Williams said that a small group of parents has moved the issue beyond health education to "censorship and academic freedom," questioning certain books in the school libraries and discussions about current events.

"This is about the efforts of this small group to muzzle and control experienced, well-trained and dedicated teachers," she said. "It is about externally controlling what they say and do in the classroom and robbing them of the opportunity for professional judgment."

Williams said the school committee's job is to represent children.

"It is their responsibility not to allow any special interest group to force decisions regarding the education of all children," she said. "This is why we have policies regarding things such as communication, complaints and curriculum review."

Williams is scheduled to become president of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents for the next school year.