Sunday, February 13, 2005
The 'Birth' of the New Sex-Ed Curriculum
How did this curriculum hatch?
In the 2001-2002 Annual Report of the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development (CAC) Annual report, the then Committee Chairman (an openly gay professional lawyer) recommended that the curriculum teach sexual variations since this subject matter is listed in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) and the schools had never done this (wonder why). However, there is no listing of a vote on this recommendation by the committee in the report. Since there is no listing of a vote on this topic, was this just his view?
But, the Board of Education said 'O.K.' anyway.
During a three week period in July, 2003, the BOE provided funding to pay school personnel plus 2 volunteers from the CAC, to draft the curriculum.
The curriculum that was drafted was 'reviewed and evaluated' by a committee of MCPS Staff and at this time the teacher resources were added.
This curriculum package was 'reviewed and evaluated' by the committee and included in the Annual report (2003-2004) that was sent to superintendent Weast's office.
The curriculum was then 'reviewed and evaluated' by staff in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
The curriculum was then 'reviewed' by the MCPS administrative Leadership Team.
The curriculum was then unanimously approved by the BOE on November 9, 2004.
At none of the above steps was the curriculum ever changed. Everyone just passed it on.