To the Editor:
I don’t want to go back and forth with letters, but I need to point out that both responses to my original letter completely missed the point. Insinuating that the school is up to dark activities by saying that a curriculum might be an “attempt to lure kids into a gender ideology,” and swearing in anger at our volunteer board, is unacceptable. You don’t have to have been at the meeting to be angry while reading those quotes.
I’m not sure why the parents who don’t like this curriculum feel like victims. Who is trying to make them feel bad for opting out? They say their kids feel singled out. I’m not sure how else the request for their children to not participate would be fulfilled without having the kids supervised in another room.
I don’t agree with the idea of parents being required to opt in to a public-school curriculum, and I would strongly oppose this curriculum being removed from those of us that value it.
I was surprised that both letters claimed that I was unconcerned and of no help when I was board chairman. I spoke with two different parents on two different occasions for at least an hour each. One of the people I talked with was one of the letter writers, the other letter writer never reached out.
I explained to both parents I talked to the process for officially challenging curriculum. I even offered one of the parents the chance to immediately, or at her earliest convenience, start the process on the Board of Education instead of having to take the first three steps. There was not any more help I could provide. If these parents have concerns, they have a right to express them, as long as other people are treated with respect. Which they were not at last month’s meeting.
Scott Trabucco
Kent
