Exposing the Youngest Minds to State-Sanctioned Gender Ideology
On Wednesday, September 19th, 2023, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education unanimously approved an updated health and physical education framework for Pre-K through grade 12. According to a press release from the Healey and Driscoll administration:
“The updated framework is inclusive, medically accurate, and developmentally- and age-appropriate. It outlines standards for what a comprehensive and LGBTQ+-inclusive health and physical education program should include: mental and emotional health; personal safety; physical health and hygiene; healthy relationships; nutrition and balanced eating; physical activity and fitness; substance use and misuse; sexual health; and public, community, and environmental health.”
While the updated framework does have necessary information pertinent for students to learn, it was noted that as the child progresses in each grade, the discussion of sexual activity and gender identity amplifies. The State will now decide when (not if) to introduce sexual health topics to children, a right once left up to the parent’s discretion. Let’s review some of the concerning highlights of this updated framework.
By the end of Grade 2 (children are typically between 7 and 8 years old), the state is asking schools to ensure students will know how to: Note: The following bullet points were taken precisely as worded from the updated health framework.
- “Use medically accurate names for body parts, including genitals when communicating about their body and physical health. [HPE]
- Discuss gender-role stereotypes and their potential impacts on people of all genders. “
By the end of Grade 5 (children are typically between 10 and 11 years old), the state is asking schools to make sure students will know how to:
- “Describe the differences between assigned sex at birth and gender identity and explain how one’s outward appearance and behavior does not define one’s gender identity or sexual orientation.
- Describe a range of ways people may express their gender and that some people’s gender identity (how they think about themselves) matches others’ expectations about what their bodies look like on the outside and others do not.
- Identify characteristics of valid health information, products, and services related to human sexual and reproductive anatomy, puberty, and personal hygiene.
- Locate resources from home, school, and community that provide medically accurate sources of information about human sexual and reproductive anatomy, puberty, and personal hygiene.
- Use valid, reliable, and medically accurate resources (e.g., school nurse, doctor, digital resources, health teacher, community organizations) to find information about the human reproductive systems, human sexual development, and the effects of hormones (e.g., romantic and sexual feelings, mood swings).
- Explain how gender identity and sexual orientation can vary in each individual.
- Explain the relationship between sexual intercourse and human reproduction, the range of ways pregnancy can occur, and valid and reliable resources for information or support related to these topics.”
By the end of Grade 8 (children are typically between 13 and 14 years old), the state is asking schools to make sure students will know how to:
- “Analyze the similarities and differences between friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual relationships and discuss various ways to show affection within different relationships (e.g., holding hands, hugging, kind words, acts of kindness, kissing, sexual behaviors).
- Demonstrate the ability to apply a decision-making process to decisions related to consent in a variety of situations (e.g., friendships, familial, with an intimate partner, in a sexual relationship) and to communicate and respond to consent or non-consent.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply a decision-making model to arrive at a decision that promotes health and safety related to various types of relationships (including sexual relationships).
- Apply an effective decision-making process in situations related to sexual health.
- Analyze personal beliefs (including level of readiness) and values related to sexual activity and sexual health.
- Assess personal health practices and develop short- and long-term goals that support healthy sexual behaviors (e.g., abstinence, delay, use of contraception, use of barriers, giving and obtaining consent).
- Examine reasons and considerations (e.g., cultural and societal norms, personal values and beliefs) for determining emotional readiness for sexual behaviors.
- Describe how sexual health values and priorities may change over time, with varying responsibilities and maturity.
- Analyze how media and technology can be both a positive and negative influence on beliefs about what constitutes a healthy relationship (including sexual relationships).
- Explain the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Explain three dimensions of sexual orientation (i.e., identity, attraction, and behavior) and how they are all a part of an individual’s sexual orientation that may or may not align with each other.
- Explain how assigned sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and gender expression are distinct concepts and how they interact with each other.
- Explain that attractions can be romantic, emotional, and/or sexual to an individual of the same gender and/or a different gender(s) and that attractions can change over time.
- Explain how perceptions, social norms, and social environment influence thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward sexual orientation, sexual health and sexual activity.
- Analyze external influences (e.g., peers, media, technology, family, society, community, culture, cultural stigmas) that have an impact on an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and expectations about gender identity, gender roles, and sexual orientation.
- Analyze internal and external influences (e.g., personal values and beliefs, peers, media, technology, family, society, community, culture, stigmas) that have an impact on an individual’s sexual behaviors.
- Access credible sources of information about gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and healthy sexuality development.
- Identify parents, guardians, or other supportive and trusted adults to whom students can ask questions about gender, gender-role stereotypes, gender identity, and sexual orientation and demonstrate strategies for engaging in these conversations.”
By the end of Grade 12 (children are typically between 17 and 18 years old), the state is asking schools to make sure students will know how to:
- “Demonstrate the ability to apply an effective decision-making process in situations related to sexual activity and sexual health.
- Assess health practices and overall health status across multiple dimensions of wellness (e.g., physical, emotional, financial, cultural, sexual, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, environmental, social).
- Summarize benefits (e.g., mutual respect, deeper connections, inclusion) of respecting individual differences in aspects of sexuality (e.g., sexual activity, sexual abstinence, sexual orientation), gender (e.g., gender expression, gender identity), growth and development, and physical appearance.
- Analyze a variety of internal and external influences (e.g., peers, media, family, society, community, culture) on a person’s attitudes, beliefs, and expectations about sexual behavior and identity.
- Determine the role of personal views about gender, sexual identity, and sexual health on choices and behaviors.
- Discuss how to foster empathy, inclusiveness, and respect around issues related to sexuality (such as sexual activity, sexual abstinence, sexual orientation), gender expression, and gender identity.
- Identify and support school and community policies and programs that promote safety, dignity, and respect for all sexual orientations and people of all gender identities and gender expressions.”
As a parent, it is important to remember that you have a legal right to request that your child not participate in this learning environment. If you do not consent to your child’s exposure to this material, contact your local school administrators.
by Charlie W.
Source
Massachusetts First 
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