CRC Files Another Appeal With the State
I suppose the Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum needed to see their names in the papers again. There really wasn't any other reason for this one.
Their press release says:
... and so on.
They seem to think that when somebody files a spurious complaint against you, you're supposed to stop everything and wait months for a decision. I don't think so.
They asked for a stay of the pilot testing. They didn't get it. Nobody has told the school district not to proceed.
As for the "equally matched arguments" thing, we've already gone through that one thoroughly enough HERE. Dr. Grasmick was just softening the blow, the CRC lost in every way, but the Superintendent gave them a point for the Constitutional assertions because, well, I can't read her mind but I think it's because she's not a lawyer and it's not her place to judge those kinds of arguments.
Today's press release has a bunch of the same old junk in there, about how the team of pediatricians who designed the curriculum filled it with "politically correct misinformation," they repeat the lie about a statement by geneticist Francis Collins, which he himself has clarified as reported HERE, they wanted it to say more about anal sex ... it's really the same old stuff. They could write these things in their sleep. Any of us could, after this many years of hearing the same old same old.
The Request for a Stay itself is no better.
"Usurps the authority" "tramples on parents' rights" "ignoring the Order of the Superintendent" -- ooh, you'll enjoy this one: "In subsequent submissions filed before this Board, Appellants have documented how the curriculum fails to provide instruction on tolerance and acceptance of the only sexual orientation/gender identity group that is actually the object of derision and rejection by the Montgomery County public school system staff and students, which Appellees do not deny."
Get it? (Hint: it starts with an "x" and ends with "g-a-y" and the leader of the "ex-gay" movement says he doesn't think they exist.)
Then they apparently have attached a letter from a teacher that:
I kind of wonder about that one -- I've never seen this letter. Google doesn't find the word "Klan" or "KKK" anywhere on their website. They have posted a couple of letters and phone calls from mad teachers, but none that say anything about the KKK.
Hey, you don't suppose they were lying about that, do you? They wouldn't have meant THIS, would they? Because that letter doesn't stereotype "former homosexuals," it doesn't "compare ex-gays to the KKK" -- but it does, in capital letters, tell PFOX to stay out of our schools and leave our children alone. I'll second that one.
I don't know, maybe they meant a different letter from a different MCPS teacher.
A reporter asked me about this appeal today. What can you say? I said, "Well, I guess they have the right to do whatever they think they have to do."
People, do you figure the people over at the state board have figured out what's going on yet? I'm guessing they have.
Their press release says:
Montgomery County, MD – Today, Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, and Family Leader Network are petitioning the Maryland State Board of Education to reverse a June 12 decision by the Montgomery County Board of Education to implement its controversial sex ed curriculum in the county’s 8th and 10th grades this coming fall.
“Montgomery County is showing incredible arrogance by voting to adopt the revised health education curriculum before the State Board renders a decision on the legality of this very controversial curriculum. We don’t understand why Montgomery County is ignoring due process in this case, especially given Dr. Grasmick’s opinion that both sides have equally matched arguments,” according to John Garza, attorney for the groups...
... and so on.
They seem to think that when somebody files a spurious complaint against you, you're supposed to stop everything and wait months for a decision. I don't think so.
They asked for a stay of the pilot testing. They didn't get it. Nobody has told the school district not to proceed.
As for the "equally matched arguments" thing, we've already gone through that one thoroughly enough HERE. Dr. Grasmick was just softening the blow, the CRC lost in every way, but the Superintendent gave them a point for the Constitutional assertions because, well, I can't read her mind but I think it's because she's not a lawyer and it's not her place to judge those kinds of arguments.
Today's press release has a bunch of the same old junk in there, about how the team of pediatricians who designed the curriculum filled it with "politically correct misinformation," they repeat the lie about a statement by geneticist Francis Collins, which he himself has clarified as reported HERE, they wanted it to say more about anal sex ... it's really the same old stuff. They could write these things in their sleep. Any of us could, after this many years of hearing the same old same old.
The Request for a Stay itself is no better.
"Usurps the authority" "tramples on parents' rights" "ignoring the Order of the Superintendent" -- ooh, you'll enjoy this one: "In subsequent submissions filed before this Board, Appellants have documented how the curriculum fails to provide instruction on tolerance and acceptance of the only sexual orientation/gender identity group that is actually the object of derision and rejection by the Montgomery County public school system staff and students, which Appellees do not deny."
Get it? (Hint: it starts with an "x" and ends with "g-a-y" and the leader of the "ex-gay" movement says he doesn't think they exist.)
Then they apparently have attached a letter from a teacher that:
... misrepresents the mission of Appellants, stereotypes former homosexuals, compares ex-gays to the KKK, and warns the ex-gay community to stay out of Montgomery County public schools.
I kind of wonder about that one -- I've never seen this letter. Google doesn't find the word "Klan" or "KKK" anywhere on their website. They have posted a couple of letters and phone calls from mad teachers, but none that say anything about the KKK.
Hey, you don't suppose they were lying about that, do you? They wouldn't have meant THIS, would they? Because that letter doesn't stereotype "former homosexuals," it doesn't "compare ex-gays to the KKK" -- but it does, in capital letters, tell PFOX to stay out of our schools and leave our children alone. I'll second that one.
I don't know, maybe they meant a different letter from a different MCPS teacher.
A reporter asked me about this appeal today. What can you say? I said, "Well, I guess they have the right to do whatever they think they have to do."
People, do you figure the people over at the state board have figured out what's going on yet? I'm guessing they have.
posted by JimK at 7:40 PM
10 Comments:
"As for the "equally matched arguments" thing, we've already gone through that one thoroughly enough HERE. Dr. Grasmick was just softening the blow, the CRC lost in every way, but the Superintendent gave them a point for the Constitutional assertions because, well, I can't read her mind but I think it's because she's not a lawyer and it's not her place to judge those kinds of arguments."
Actually, she said that and hasn't renounced or minimized the statement. How about not trying to read her mind and assuming she said it because that was her assessment of situation? You have no reason to believe otherwise.
It wasn't her "assessment of the situation," it was her opinion of one section of the complaint. She ruled soundly against them on the other sections. Which you'd know if you had followed the link I provided.
JimK
“Montgomery County is showing incredible arrogance by voting to adopt the revised health education curriculum before the State Board renders a decision on the legality of this very controversial curriculum. We don’t understand why Montgomery County is ignoring due process in this case, especially given Dr. Grasmick’s opinion that both sides have equally matched arguments,” according to John Garza, attorney for the groups..."
You notice Garza is talking about legality. It's what we're all talking about. Is this curriculum constitutional? Grasnick says it's a toss-up.
Not a trivial point.
Andrea- not anon
I figured it out. The guy who wrote the letter has K as his middle initial and his name shows up three times(in different places)- thus K-K-K. CRC is so used to making up stuff- why not this?
I haven't heard of any ex-gay students or teachers being harassed in MCPS- could that be because none exist?
It doesn't take any mind-reading. Here's what she said:
I have read and considered the Appeal Brief which argues that the lessons at issue violate students’ First Amendment rights, including their free speech rights and the right to exercise their religious beliefs freely. The Appellants also argue that the lessons violate the Establishment Clause; the Equal Protection Clause, Article 36 of the Maryland Constitution, several education regulations. I have also read and considered the local board’s arguments that the Appellants raise no valid legal basis for concluding that the curriculum violates either federal or state law. It is my view that the Appellants arguments are equally matched by the local board’s response. In my view, the likelihood of success on the merits, at best, rests in equipoise.
You can go ahead and take that as a ringing endorsement.
And Andrea, I'm afraid I may have hidden my true feelings too heavily under a veil of sarcasm: I think they lied.
JimK
I am a MCPS teacher (and a proud lesbian) and am just saddened that groups like CRC and PFOX are so against human differences. TTF most certainly does what we teachers do every day in the classroom, stand up for and care about kids! Keep it up.
This is Derrick, the MCPS teacher who made the KKK comment.
Yes, I did in deed compare PFOX to the KKK. However, let me clarify my statement a bit more; Yes, PFOX is very different from the KKK, for obvious reasons.
I quote myself,
"You people are like the KKK but only in the form of religion..."
I only compared them to the KKK for this reason: they do not like the fact that people are different. I did not compare them to the KKK for ANY other reason than that (p-e-r-i-o-d).
I can understand why and I feel it's unfortunate that PFOX and CRC misinterpreted my comment.
Those are my personal opinions and, as always, I NEVER discuss homosexuality or politics with my students. I teach Spanish, not Sexual Education (so it's not like I would ever say something like that in class!!-aye, aye, aye).
People can't be teachers and human beings at the same time??
If you ask me the State Board should immediately dismiss this on two counts:
1) not a single student has been taught the lessons and the Courts usually do not stop something before it happens; and
2) the CRC does not have standing since not a single parent has "opted in" any of their kids.
What harm has happened to either them or their children when nothing has been taught?
Andrea- not anon
Derrick, good of you to write. I doubt CRC or PFOX misinterpreted your comment. They are so underhanded that they will take anything and twist it for their benefit. As you see, they claimed you said ex-gays were like the KKK. Not that anything seems to be working for them these days. I weep for them- boo hoo.
I will try to remember some high school spanish now(only 37 years ago). Muchas gracias por educar los ninos de MCPS.
It's what we're all talking about. Is this curriculum constitutional? Grasnick says it's a toss-up.
State Superintendent Grasmick decision on the CRC's appeal was based on three separate aspects. She decided MCPS won on (1) "balance of harm" and (2) the "public interest" and tied on (3) the "chance of success on merits."
Talk about constitutionality all you want, but the place to determine constitutionality is a court of law, not a Board of Education. If the CRC is so sure this curriculum is unconstitutional, why aren't they asking a court of law to make such a determination? The fact the CRC has appealed to the State Board of Education to rule doesn't make them sound very sure of their arguments.
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