Re: Ed equity web sites?
Equitymk@aol.com
Thu, 18 Jun 1998 16:17:55 EDT
I thought members of this listserve might find this interesting (if not
frightening). Melissa Keyes <Equitymk@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 12:53:12 EDT
Subject: SEX EDUCATION: NEW LAW WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO REVIEW SCHOOL
CURRICULA
SEX EDUCATION: NEW LAW WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO REVIEW SCHOOL
CURRICULA
In response to complaints about sexually inappropriate
materials in school curricula, House Republicans have introduced
legislation designed to give parents review authority over
"school curricula, tests, and surveys," the Christian Science
Monitor reports. The Parental Freedom of Information Act would
"require states and local schools to let parents review"
classroom materials, give them "the right to see any testing
materials administered to students" and mandate "written
permission from a parent before any student could be required to
undergo any medical, psychological or psychiatric testing or
treatment while at school," except in cases of emergency. At
issue are topics such as sex education, discussions of diversity
that include homosexuality and books that upset some parents
because of their content, like "'Romeo and Juliet' because it
ends in teenage suicide." According to the bill's supporters,
which include Reps. Dick Armey (R-TX) and Tom DeLay (R-TX), the
bill will "clarify the 1974 Family Education Rights and Privacy
Act," which gives parents access to their childrens' school
records. The Monitor reports that the bill was pulled from the
House Committee on Education and the Workforce for further work,
but that it should arrive on the House floor as part of another
measure within two weeks (Goodrich, 6/15).
PRELUDE TO CENSORSHIP?
The proposed legislation would "withhold federal funds from
educational institutions which deny parents reasonable access
(within 30 days) to this information" and allow "parents to seek
judicial relief" as a recourse, according to bill sponsor Rep.
Todd Tiahrt (R-KS). "This legislation does not seek to influence
the content of a school's curricula or tests," said Tiahrt.
"However, parents ... should be guaranteed sufficient information
to help guide the education and lives of their children," he
said. (Tiahrt release, 4/24). Critics of the measure cite
concerns regarding the bill's vague wording and possible
applications. Adele Robinson of the National Education
Association states: "We certainly don't have a problem with
parents seeing the curriculum." But the wording of the measure
does raise some doubts. The bill reads, "The right of parents to
direct the education of their child shall not be infringed."
Robinson worries that such language "would preempt state
requirements that teachers and administrators investigate and
report suspected child abuse. If a teacher suspects a student is
being sexually harassed...is that prying into that student's
life?" Another concern, according to a statement on the People
For the American Way website, is that "parents, not content with
limiting what their own children read, tr[y] to control the
curriculum and library selection for other parents' children."
=======================================
Sender: owner-edequity@confer.edc.org
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: edequity@confer.edc.org