Parents this wrong, very wrong.
- In a draft set of guidelines it appears that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has traded morality for federal IX funding. The proposed guidelines allow children of any age to select their gender without any knowledge or approval of parents, health professionals, or change in legal status. The State Board of Education must approve the guidelines and may vote as early as May 10th.
Please read and take action by calling the MDE and the SBE at the numbers in this post.
“The responsibility for determining a student’s gender identity rests with the student. Outside confirmation from medical or mental health professionals, or documentation odf legal changes, is not needed….
School staff should address students by their chosen name and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity, regardless of whether there has been a legal name change.
Students should be allowed to use the restroom in accordance with their gender identity.”
If these guidelines are approved by the State Board of Education, a parent could attend a parent/teacher conference for their son, Johnny, only to find out that he is a “she” and known as “Jane” in the school and visits the girls restroom and locker room. NO parental input or notification is required. This is what the MDE believes promotes a “safe” learning environment at school.
The American College of Pediatricians states very clearly that gender ideology harms children.
The American College of Pediatricians urges educators and legislators to reject all policies that condition children to accept as normal a life of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex. Facts – not ideology – determine reality.
A person’s belief that he or she is something they are not is, at best, a sign of confused thinking. When an otherwise healthy biological boy believes he is a girl, or an otherwise healthy biological girl believes she is a boy, an objective psychological problem exists that lies in the mind not the body, and it should be treated as such. These children suffer from gender dysphoria.
Unfortunately, the MDE is NOT persuaded by the findings of medical professionals but motivated by federal IX funding. More on that here.
Not surprisingly, the MDE has NOT issued a press release for the proposed changes. They quietly hope to slip this past parents and obtain the State Board of Education approval on May 10. We cannot let that happen! Public commentary is allowed until April 11.
Parents it is up to YOU to make the MDE and the State Board of Education listen to YOU and NOT the DC. Staying silent is NOT an option.
Action Needed:
Please comment in opposition to the guidelines at Every Voice Counts Forum.
Please contact the State Superintendent Brian Whiston at 517-373-3324. Politely and respectfully but firmly tell them you OPPOSE the February 23 State Board of Education Draft Statement regarding gender guidelines.
Please contact John Austin, President of the State Board of Education at 517-373-3902. Politely and respectfully but firmly tell him you OPPOSE the gender guidelines articulated in the memorandum by Brian Whiston and NOT to approve them at the May 10th meeting.
A PDF of the document is here.
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