In April, Townhall reported how lawmakers in Louisiana advanced legislation that would prohibit teaching about sexual orientation and gender ideology curriculum, similar to legislation enacted in Florida last year. Lawmakers behind the legislation claimed that it was meant to protect children. On the other hand, officials in New York unveiled new guidance that pushes this kind of "woke" curriculum and conceals students' gender transitions from their parents. Now, another left-wing state is seeking to overhaul its sex ed program to include "woke" lessons on sexual orientation and gender.
This week, the Massachusetts Board of Education and Secondary Education met to begin a public comment period over a proposal to overhaul its sex ed program to include "woke" lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity.
According to the Boston Globe, if the new sex-ed framework passes, it will teach elementary school-aged children about "gender-role stereotypes and their potential impacts on people of all genders." In addition, the report noted that "differences between biological sex and gender identity would be introduced in Grades 3 to 5, along with explanations of how one's appearance does not define their gender identity or sexual orientation." The framework referred to biological sex as "assigned sex."
Additionally, the framework pushed for lessons that "describe the potential impacts of power and privilege (e.g., associated with age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, immigration status, ability, position of authority) within a variety of relationships."
Through Gov. Maura Healey's (D) proposal and a board vote, the new framework will not have to pass the state legislature. This would update the state's sex education guidelines for the first time in 24 years.
The Massachusetts Family Institute, which is "a non-partisan public policy organization dedicated to strengthening families in Massachusetts," according to its website, reportedly opposes the changes to the curriculum.
"If this framework is passed and implemented, it will only increase the growing opt-out-of-sex-ed movement across the state," Michael King, the organization's director of alliances, told CBS News.
Jeffrey C. Riley, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said that "school districts have discretion to determine how the standards will be implemented at the local level," the Globe noted. "We hope the framework will be a resource of lasting value for schools and districts," he added.
Reportedly, the State Senate has passed the "Healthy Youth Act" four times to remodel the state's sex education, which included lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity. It has died in the House.
