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Date: 9/6/2023
MONSON — The School Committee will send a letter to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education outlining potential concerns with the state’s proposed new educational frameworks for health and physical education.
The committee agreed to send the letter to DESE after discussion of uncertainties and concerns surrounding the proposal at its Aug. 23 meeting.
The draft curriculum framework was introduced by the Healey-Driscoll administration and released for public comment in late June. The administration touted the guidelines as an “LGBTQ+ inclusive, medically accurate and developmentally- and age-appropriate framework” for students in pre-K through 12th grade. On the local level, according to current state policy, school departments have the authority to determine which curriculum and materials will be used. Parents also have a legal right to opt their children out of sexual education lessons.
The draft is available for review at doe.mass.edu/frameworks/health/2023-07-health-draft.pdf.
A speaker who was identified as Mr. Lamb and whose first name was not provided, began the meeting’s public comment segment by addressing the proposed guidelines regarding sexual education.
“[The term] ‘all genders’ should be a red flag that captures everyone’s attention,” said Lamb. Referring to terms such as “all genders” he opined that they “cultivate gender dysphoria” and “go against science.”
Lamb suggested that students who are confused about their gender “need ongoing therapy to work through issues with a professional,” adding, “The ideas expose our young students to chaos so they will grow to be the most emotionally unstable and factually confused generation ever.”
He continued, “It’s a political word game, indoctrinating youth, that is based on feeling, not fact. There is no rational justification for this curriculum. What about cisgender students? Will they be left behind?”
Lamb suggested that any discussion of a sexual nature should be left to the parents.
Bret Doughty continued public comments and also agreed with Lamb, adding his own opinion on the matter.
“For two years our children were kept out of school due to the COVID scare. That had little or no threat to children. We need to catch up with the rest of the world,” said Doughty.
The committee also spoke about the new DESE guidelines and agreed to send a letter that would voice their concerns about the wording in the framework.
The School Committee’s letter asked for clarification on whether the school department would maintain its autonomy in its decision-making regarding the curriculum, whether the state would provide any additional funding for implementation of a curriculum reflecting those frameworks, and if the law would continue to allow parents to opt out of the sexual education portion.
Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Clarke wants to send a survey out to families to see how the majority of the community feels about the proposed additions. She also wants parents to be aware that the new guidelines are not a curriculum, they are a framework.
The motion to accept and send the letter to DESE was passed unanimously.
The committee also heard from high school Principal Arthur Murphy, who reviewed the updated cellphone policy, which was approved.
“Off and away means off and away. No headphones or air pods in during class,” said Murphy.
He noted that phones are only allowed when the teacher says they are, at lunchtime, and in the halls for high schoolers. If a student breaks these rules, they receive a warning. If they continue to break these rules then the student will receive an office detention, and then progressive discipline could lead to a suspension after warnings. These warnings reset after each quarter.
Clarke also summarized the recent annual school bus tour that took place before the start of the school year.
“It was a wonderful event and we had so many people. I was even directing traffic at Adam’s Market,” said Clarke. She mentioned that this was the eighth year that the district was able to run the tour and help students receive school supplies.
“If anyone does still want to drop off donations, they can do so in the front office of the school,” said Clarke.
Clarke also mentioned that the department’s van division is now run through J.P McCarthy & Sons, the same company that operates the school buses. This way, students can have the same familiar faces driving them.
“So far this has netted $74K and is going to make more, probably close to $100k to go back into the town general funds,” said Clarke.
She also noted that enrollment is steady and numbers are up from last year. A positive trend of students comes from inside the town as well as a dozen School Choice students.
Managing Editor Chris Maza contributed to this report.