When asked about the district’s Welcoming Schools endorsement and the curriculum’s promotion of gender fluidity, Superintendent Paul Cruz referred me to AISD Communications Specialist Tiffany Young, but she left unanswered questions about AISD’s alliance with an organization that promotes for gender dysphoric children medical suspension of puberty beginning as early as 11 or 12, lifelong cross-sex hormone therapy, and gender reassignment surgery. Young said the district does not have a policy regarding such therapy.
I contacted principals from 21 of the district’s 27 Welcoming Schools–trained campuses, asking about the program. Only three responded. Baranoff Elementary Principal Megan Counihan said she has not implemented Welcoming Schools despite receiving training: Her teachers had “a lot on their plates” last year with AISD’s implementation of five major initiatives. She said the school would eventually take up the program, “but last year wasn’t the time to begin another new initiative.” Sunset Valley Elementary Principal Emily Bush directed questions to AISD headquarters, which continued to be unresponsive.
Williams Elementary Principal Mary Cisneros asked Schmitz, her school’s counselor, to respond. Schmitz said Welcoming Schools material is not taught to the children but to the teachers with the goal of “challenging beliefs, finding common ground.” But critics contend that by adopting HRC’s human sexuality ideology, including its gender-obliterating vocabulary, teachers convey a worldview disconnected from reality and God’s created order. Simply defining “lesbian” or “gay” as two women or two men “who love each other” introduces young children to the idea that they, too, could be lesbian or gay because of their affection for friends of the same sex.
By pitching its lessons as an anti-bullying curriculum, HRCF takes advantage of a quirk in many state sex-ed laws. “Some states require guardian consent when school curricula address sexuality,” an HRCF resource page states. “However, when educators discuss family diversity, they are not talking about sexuality—they are talking about understanding the importance of family, love, and acceptance for everyone.”
Therefore parents can’t opt out, even though many who want to fight bullying don’t want to be bullied themselves.
Besides, HRCF designed Welcoming Schools to permeate classroom instruction with handouts, videos, and children’s books on homosexuality and gender fluidity. It’d be hard to pinpoint a specific time a student could leave the classroom to escape its influence.
Kiker Elementary Principal Schneider did not respond to repeated requests for information about her decision concerning Welcoming Schools on her campus.
Dr. Morgan says the idea that children can change their sex is the most troubling element of the Welcoming Schools dogma. She’s seen the effects of that thinking in her medical practice as parents in the past two years have begun asking about their children’s gender identity. Morgan insists gender nonconforming behavior is a typical part of childhood development and should not be “treated” as an expression of transgenderism.
Morgan believes HRCF’s blatant transgender advocacy will convince otherwise normal children to make decisions that might eventually lead to irreversible medical intervention: “There are a whole group of children who may have gone on to a well-adjusted adulthood in their same-sex body who might now, because of social pressures that are subtle, all around them, end up in a body that is transgender and have no way back.”
Comments
Tessa
Posted: Thu, 08/17/2017 05:45 pmTypically, I wouldn't downplay underhandedness by those with an LGBTQ agenda. However, as one with a newly minted teaching license, I would like to give my input. For over 2 decades, schools have been changing the definition of family so that single parents divorcees, and adoptees don't feel isolated. This made it very easy to lump gay people into the 'family diversity' category. Simultaneously, anti bullying has also been a large issue in recent years, this content being treated as a 'special' with art, music, and library in the elementary schools. Thus, in this secular age, it is not surprising that the curriculum is from such a group. The time to be upset and change the schools is long past. The schools are simply not providing an environment conducive for development of a Christian faith and worldview.
RC
Posted: Wed, 08/23/2017 10:36 amThe LGBTQ people know they are wrong and they know there is no way with honesty and integrity they can get their lie to be accepted. The have chosen to wrap their lie with some truth to sneak it in. The Communist were excellent at this kind of propaganda. But, it is never too late to change. Each parent needs to decide how they want to get involved with their children’s teachers to support what is true and right. That kind of influence will overcome the LGBTQ’s lies.
Alan in Seattle
Posted: Fri, 08/18/2017 09:02 pmVery informative, article, Bonnie. It might be good to include some kind of follow-up about what Christians can do to insure that the "tolerance" agenda being taught doesn't become active promotion. It sounds to me as though lines may already have been crossed in that regard. Is there still a PTA where concerns about such line-crossing may be expressed? And do you have advice for parents and others about how to help insure that kids have access to the full story on gender-identity issues?
RC
Posted: Wed, 08/23/2017 10:37 amEach parent needs to decide how they want to get involved with their children’s teachers to support what is true and right. That influence will overcome the LGBTQ’s lies.
VolunteerBB
Posted: Mon, 08/21/2017 07:19 pm"It's not about sex." Right. Just like a commenter below says how it was just about including children of divorce, or single parent households, or bullying and now it has become something else. It IS about sex. Will they be honest about it? No way.
JerryM
Posted: Wed, 08/23/2017 07:50 amIn Australia, a very similar program is called the "Safe Schools Coalition". I would encourage everyone to view the video in the link found below, which went viral in Australia. It is by an Aussie mum who conducted an investigation of the program.
http://www.marriagealliance.com.au/safe_schools_concerns
For those in Texas, and elsewhere, trying to fight these stealth programs, please also have a look at this site:
http://youreteachingourchildrenwhat.org