Just as Congress is working to defund Planned Parenthood at the national level, we’re working hard to stop them at the local level – specifically, your neighborhood school.  This morning, several parents and I went to the State House to testify against the Sex Ed Mandate.  These two identical bills would take control over what is taught about sex (and when it is taught) out of the hands of local school committees and cede it to state education bureaucrats.  (And let me tell you, the curricula they are already on record as endorsing is outrageous!  More on that in a minute.)

Senate Bill 234 and House Bill 2053, both entitled “An Act Relative to Healthy Youth,” would require all schools in MA to align their sexual health curricula with the Massachusetts Health Education Frameworks standards (for those of you following the Common Core debate, you know how this works).  If either of these bills is passed, schools will be scrambling for Sex Ed curricula that is consistent with the Health Frameworks, and it is no surprise that the MA Department of Education and Planned Parenthood are already working together to promote “Get Real,” the new curriculum designed by none other than the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

MFI’s Andrew Beckwith hands saran wrap to Senate Chair Sonia Chang-Diaz while House Chair Alice Peisch looks on

Here at MFI, we acquired a copy of the “Get Real” student workbooks for grades 6 through 8.  Although they are shot through with offensive material, I brought them to the hearing to ask the legislators if they believed they should be forcing these things on our local schools children.  For example, in the Planned Parenthood workbook pictured here, 7th graders are encouraged to use “non-microwavable saran wrap” as a prophylactic for certain non-reproductive sex acts, which I will not repeat in this email (You can read for yourself here).  During my testimony at the State House, I presented the committee chairs with boxes of Saran Wrap to serve as a visual reminder of what these bills would force on our schools and children. The MA Department of Education has approved this curriculum as “age appropriate” and “medically accurate,” and this bill would give them authority over every sex ed class in the state!

In 2016, an earlier version of this Sex-Ed Mandate was passed in the MA Senate before getting stalled in the House.  It was the first time that this type of legislation had passed in either chamber.  This year’s version of the bill, however, is far, far worse.  For example, SB 234 and HB 2053 would require your local sex ed instructor to do the following:

  • Teach about abortion as one of the “options for pregnancy.”  Prior versions of this bill have not directly mentioned “abortion.”  These new bills specifically require promotion of it to students.
  • Give an “affirmative representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, relationships, and families…” I have asked many parents how they would define, for example, a “bisexual relationship” or family and I am usually met with confused looks.  This is understandable, but it begs the question, WHAT exactly would these bills require our children to “discuss”?  By definition, a “bisexual relationship” or family involves three people, in order to satisfy the sexual desires of the bisexual, who is attracted to both men and women.  Exactly what type of discussion is that going to be for school children.
  • Promote “[a]ge-appropriate” information about gender identity and sexual orientation for all students…” This is another giant loophole in this bill – there’s no workable definition of “age-appropriate.”  So while it sounds reassuring, the reality is this would be determined by the same activists at the state department of education that think it is “age appropriate” for 12 year-olds to study the finer points of dental dam usage during non-reproductive sexual acts.

Despite being titled “An Act relative to healthy youth,” these bills are really a state-wide Sex Ed Mandate, which would give state bureaucrats the authority to dictate what local schools teach about sex and at what age they teach it.

Friends, there was a lot of support at the hearing to pass these bills.  Planned Parenthood had representatives at the State House testifying in support of the bills, and the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) is backing them on their legislative agenda. So I am asking you to make TWO quick phone calls TODAY to your State Representative and Senator. You can find your legislator here.

Finally, take 90 seconds to follow up with an email to your legislators. We have pre-written a message for you so all you have to do is enter your name and address and click through.

Together, we can send a clear message to Beacon Hill that we DO NOT want Planned Parenthood poisoning the minds of our young children.