By Adam Pagnucco.
One of the biggest recent controversies at MCPS involves an effort by some parents to opt out of curriculum materials that they feel contradict their religious views. At one point, this issue produced regular mass protests at MCPS headquarters and spawned litigation (including from one of the primary election school board candidates). Let’s see how our candidates line up.
Question: Should parents have the right to opt out of curriculum materials that disagree with their religious beliefs?
Lynne Harris, At-Large (Incumbent): I strongly believe that public education is essential to creating a thriving society in which everyone uniquely contributes and has value. That’s the kind of place people want to live. Public education should have as a core mission windows and mirrors – so that every student sees themselves and their experience reflected in the classroom, and also sees beyond their own experience and learns to appreciate the experience of others. That is how we create critical thinking problem solvers who are prepared for the world they enter as soon as they leave their K-12 education. Allowing parents to say ‘I don’t want my kids to learn about those people’ , or ‘I only want my kids’ public education to reflect my religious views’ is contrary to the mission, and inconsistent with the Constitution and state law.
Rita Montoya, At-Large: No.
Brenda Diaz, District 2: Yes, in particular with regards to the introduction of LGBTQ+ materials in elementary school Language Arts classes. Freedom of religion is enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution and in the Constitution of the State of Maryland, Article 36. Maryland allows parents to opt their children out of certain portions of sex education curriculum, including portions related to human sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases, for religious or moral reasons. This policy typically falls under the broader umbrella of “parental rights to control the education of their children” rather than specifically “opting out” of sex education.
Maryland state law provides for parental involvement in sex education and allows parents to review instructional materials related to sex education and to request exemptions for their children from certain portions of the curriculum. In addition, it is important to note that MCPS elementary school principals objected to age-inappropriate content in the LGBTQ+ books selected, citing anti-religious bias in discussion guides, the lack of teacher training, possible tension developing between schools and community as a result, and inconsistent training from district offices. It is clear, the opt-out policy must be instituted.
Natalie Zimmerman, District 2: MCPS should not allow opt-outs of this material. I fully support the use of inclusive texts in classrooms and for texts to truly be inclusive, then all students must hear the texts and interact with them. Should a family wish to provide additional education to their child, I encourage them to do so at home or with their religious organization. As students grow and mature, they will interact with other people who may be different from themselves. Our hope as a public school system is to prepare students well for all facets of their futures and educate students on different family structures, gender expressions, gender identities, and sexualities. Relatedly, students deserve unbiased access to this information in order to understand themselves and others better.
Shebra Evans, District 4 (Incumbent): As a sitting school board member, it is always important to have a curriculum that meets the needs of all students. I voted on the curriculum adopted in February of 2019, particularly because it was more inclusive. I believe it is important for students to see a reflection of themselves in the curriculum. I am not in favor of opting out of curricula.
Laura Stewart, District 4: I do not support expanding opt out beyond what is required by state law. It is important that all children see their diverse communities represented in the curriculum, including gender, sexual orientation, religious, and racial diversity. Exposure to diverse inclusive curricula is an important step to remove stigmas that can lead to bullying and self harm. I started a petition supporting the current MCPS opt out policy, which has over 3000 signatures, and helped found a new coalition to support inclusive schools. Allowing opt outs would lead to children leaving the classroom during science, language arts, and social studies, creating a chaotic classroom environment. A public school must serve the diverse public interest.
Next: police officers in schools.
Prior questions: boundary review, grading policy, electric bus contract, MCPS’s biggest problem, experience with budgets, on the incumbents.