1
The following letter was submitted by a group of parents in the Brentwood Union School District after the school board agreed to move forward with in-home sex education.
Please note that the Brentwood Union School District previously provided the following link regarding the Family Life Curriculum.
Letter to the Board:
Brentwood Union School District
Brentwood, CA 94513
Dear Board Members
I am writing this letter to express my utmost disgust and vehement opposition to the recent decision made by Brentwood Union School District officials regarding the implementation of “Family Sex Education” for fourth grade students. As a concerned parent and member of this community, I find this decision not only horrifying, but completely unacceptable.
A review of the minutes of the board meeting shows that the decision to introduce such graphic and inappropriate material to fourth graders was made without due regard to the children's naiveté and developmental stage. It became clear. including members of the board of directors, Emil Guedesand Gurskythe apparent lack of understanding and responsibility in approving this curriculum is completely reprehensible.
The school board noted the concerns raised by Trustee Stephanie regarding the explicit nature of the curriculum, the carelessness with which Emile Guedes based his approval on a minor exchange in a coffee shop, and what Trustee Gursky did not consider. ignored the obvious admission that Every curriculum he has approved shows serious deficiencies in leadership and judgment.
Furthermore, it is deeply disturbing to learn that, despite the Superintendent's admission that this curriculum is not a national mandate, it is being imposed on children by the very individuals tasked with educating them. It is the right thing to do. The fact that our school board, superintendent, and curriculum director have actively advocated for exposing fourth graders to pornography without providing adequate translation services for non-native Spanish speaking families; It's nothing short of disgusting.
Our fourth graders are young, sensitive, and innocent people who deserve protection from such explicit and inappropriate content. The decision to introduce “family sex education” in this school year is not only infuriating, but reflects a serious breach of duty on the part of all involved.
I demand that immediate action be taken to reverse this decision and remove all those responsible for proposing and implementing this reprehensible curriculum. Our children deserve better. As parents and members of this community, we cannot stand by and watch their innocence be undermined.
I urge the Brentwood Union School District to reverse this decision without delay and prioritize the welfare and proper education of our children. Failure to do so will result in further action from concerned parents and community members who will not tolerate such disregard for the welfare of children.
Sincerely,
Brentwood parents worried
Editor's note
California recommends that adolescent education be taught in mixed-sex classrooms. This is the first year BUSD will transition to the new Family Life Program, so 4th-5th grade students will be taught in mixed-sex settings in some schools and in segregated settings by perceived gender in others. We plan to provide This allows us to gather feedback on both experiences to help inform future decisions. Details about each school's initiatives will be announced at the information session. All 6th grade classes will be held in a mixed gender setting, as this is a practice that has already been in place for the past year in our middle school.
If you would like to learn more about what is included in the Family Life Curriculum, we offer:
- See below for a list of objectives covered at each grade level.
- A general FAQ document is also available on the BUSD website.
Family life unit goals
fourth grade
Unit objectives:
- Demonstrate how to promote dignity and respect for all types of families
- Show gratitude to family members and other trusted adults
- Define terms used to describe gender identity and expression
- Demonstrate respectful use of gender-related terminology while explaining gender diversity and discussing student scenarios that include respectful body language, words, and tone of voice.
- Describe the changes that typically occur during adolescence in people with male or female bodies
- Match the terms of the reproductive system anatomy by labeling the diagrams
- Explaining how to care for the body of children entering adolescence
- Create a plan for maintaining personal hygiene during adolescence
5th grade
Unit objectives:
- Gain an understanding of the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during adolescence to help students better navigate adolescence.
- Describe the anatomy and function of the reproductive system and how to promote sexual health, helping students make better-informed, safe, and healthy choices.
- Prepare your child's body care plan to take care of their changing bodies during adolescence.
- Participate in respectful treatment of peers and develop your ability to demonstrate respectful communication strategies when interacting with peers so that you can develop healthy, positive relationships with your peers.
- Improve your understanding of consent, including how to communicate and receive consent, and respond to situations where consent is not obtained or abuse occurs, so you can better avoid harassment and exploitation.
sixth grader
Unit objectives:
- Develop an understanding of the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during adolescence to help students successfully navigate adolescence and respect individual differences in development.
- Develops the ability to apply the principle of consent and demonstrate communication skills, enabling students to better develop respectful peer relationships.
- Define and differentiate between gender identity and sexual orientation.
- Develops the ability to identify interpersonal and sexual violence and enables students to seek help for themselves and others when needed.
- Discuss the potential risks of actions so students can make plans to avoid unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
- Apply media literacy skills to analyze media messages and online information to help students better understand the impact of media and access accurate information.
Parents/guardians have the right to remove their children from the Family Life Unit.. If you wish to do so, you must notify your child's teacher by letter or email that you do not wish your child to participate. Please complete the procedure by March 4th. Students who are opted out of home life instruction will participate in other learning activities in a separate classroom and with a different teacher.
If you have any questions about the content on Family Life or need assistance translating information into a language other than English or Spanish, please contact Andrea Zeigler. [email protected].