I would like to take the opportunity to respond to the editorials written by the former chairman of the Board of Education for Kent Center School. I believe there to be numerous discrepancies between his opinion, and factual events that took place at the BOE meeting concerning the Project Sage program. This gentleman had been aware of parental concerns since last year. He chose to ignore them. He is now choosing to manipulate the situation making parents look like monsters by writing we are trying to push our religious views on all. These meetings have remained secular, he would have known this if he had attended them.
Teaching young children about sexuality in any form is a sensitive subject. It is acceptable for parents to ask questions and expect the school to implement measures to ensure every family feels comfortable, and confident that their child is treated fairly. Apparently after reading one of these articles, I am finding out I should consider myself lucky because they have taken the “unusual and extraordinary step of allowing parents to opt out of this class if they prefer.”
Disrespect and disregard from the school administration needs to be addressed. The school administration has proven to have a cavalier attitude towards valid concerns. Any protocols the school had agreed to put in place for this school year were not implemented. When asked for alternative options since they failed to comply with the previous ones, I was answered with a swift no without the chance for discussion.
I would like to see an opt-in option for this program. This could open up a platform to educate parents and allow for a Q & A session so parents can make an informed decision and decide what is best for their child. The administration is completely against this idea. This only leads me to question why. They will only say the state does not mandate them to do so. However, wouldn’t this be a simple way to work with parents if they feel so passionately about this curriculum? This could even allow for discussion of alternative educational opportunities for those families that opt-out instead of assigning the children to separate parts of the building to study. These children deserve to feel valued in the school regardless of their participation in this program.
It is disheartening to see so much hate displayed in a small community such as ours.This gentleman has amplified this situation by spinning the narrative and implying his opinions as factual. His editorials were written to bully and intimidate the residents involved, not educate the public.
Crystal Green
Kent
