I sent it. I resent it. I tried again – still no success. The email server for the New Jersey state legislature repeatedly rejected my email as spam. This routine form of communication that I engage in daily suddenly became difficult, if not impossible. After a productive and healthy conversation with a legislative aide to a prominent state senator, I promised to email him the revised NJ Comprehensive Health Learning Standard for public schools. The Senator’s office and I could not figure out the reason this particular email was blocked after multiple attempts.
Then it hit me…
I copied and pasted the exact words of the learning standard into the body of the email. That was a tragic mistake, because the exact words and explicit sex acts required for school age children to learn in New Jersey public schools were flagged as “pornographic” by government state computers.
Think.
The government does not allow adults to discuss these pornographic acts on state computer servers because they are obscene and inappropriate, yet the New Jersey Department of Education requires 12-year-old children to define and describe the very same objectionable material.
The systematic sexualization of young children in our society must end.
But it doesn’t end there…
I had another conversation this week with a state coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to learn how these pornographic standards got approved without a public hearing disclosing them. Unfortunately, public review and discussion are just a formality in the process. There are several bureaucratic layers within the NJDOE that are unnamed and unaccountable. They ultimately write the standards to impose their post-modern view of sexuality on young children – public comment aside.
One of our allies on the phone call asked this NJDOE staff member to define the specific act that is required by the state’s learning standard for school age children to define. It was a sincere request. We wanted to know exactly what these students will be required to learn. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, he respectfully declined. Admittedly, such conversation is rightfully awkward among adults. Imagine the conscience of vulnerable students being forced to endure this in a classroom setting.
Thankfully, legislators are taking the lead.
In last week’s email, we informed you that Senator Steve Oroho (R) and Senator Mike Testa (R) introduced SCR129 – a Senate Concurrent Resolution objecting to the obscene sex ed standards. After being involved in numerous advocacy meetings, I am pleased to announce more state senators are adding their name as co-sponsors. This week, Assemblyman Wirth (R) and Assemblyman Space (R) introduced ACR193 – an identical bill in their chamber.
As I urged you to thank our brave senators last week, please call these two Assembly members and tell their staff you appreciate them sponsoring ACR193! It only takes one call to thank both.
Assemblyman Harold Wirth and Assemblyman Parker Space: (973) 300- 0200
Thank you for taking action to protect the students of NJ!
Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy
