Initially it was the Senate. It quickly moved to the Assembly. This past week it was the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Everyone is speaking up at different levels of state and local government in opposition to the new sex ed learning standards for New Jersey public schools.
These standards require curriculum so graphic that when I pasted the text in an email to government officials, the government email servers flagged and blocked my email as “pornographic.”
It’s no wonder everyone is speaking up.
Sylvia Petillo, a Family Policy Foundation® Statesman Alumni, serves on the Sussex County Board of Freeholders. That Board, too passed the resolution in opposition to the new sex ed standards. Sylvia told the press, “It is extremely important that parental rights are respected and included in all sectors of education in our public school.”
I agree, and so it seems, do many other leaders in our state.
The voices of New Jersey elected officials are becoming clearer and more committed to defending parental rights in education. The Senate resolution opposing the sex ed standards now has five sponsors: Senator Mike Testa, Senator Steve Oroho, Senator Michael Doherty, Senator James Holzapfel, and Senator Robert Singer. The Assembly resolution also has five sponsors: Assemblyman Harold Wirths, Assemblyman Parker Space, Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin, and Assemblyman John Catalano.
I am grateful for their public position. I am reenergized by their bold leadership. I am optimistic that we can protect students from post-modern sexual ethics and high-risk sexual acts.
But I am waiting.
Waiting for an unstoppable and influential voice to speak – The Church.
We have volunteer legislative captains scheduling virtual meetings with legislators, but they often struggle to find other parents and pastors to attend these discussions with elected officials. Most legislators are not concerned about the voice of their colleague, but they are concerned about the vote of their constituent.
In other words, they must hear from you! If you have never made a phone call to a legislator, it might seem intimidating. Maybe you avoid disagreement at all costs. Let me reassure you, our meetings with legislators and their staff are not full of conflict but graceful conversation. If you are interested in attending a meeting with your legislator, please let us know by using our online form.
If there’s one voice that must speak out, it’s the Church. Will you help make that happen?
Thank you for taking action to protect the students of NJ!
Shawn Hyland
Advocacy Director
