Novato Parents & Family Coalition (NPFC) “Keeping Academic Excellence Paramount For Our Children” These are excerpts from one June 3, 2003 parent statement to the NUSD Board:
I am concerned the Gay/Lesbian segment is the only one to feature 3 families, that it is strategically placed near the middle, and is over 2 or more minutes longer than the rest. In percentage terms, it is 40% or more longer than the others. Also, quotes not consistent with abstinence outside of marriage in both this segment and the Single Parent one are certainly not needed to help teach safety and respect to the film's intended audience of K-6th grade. Others have also found portions of the video objectionable due to racial stereotypes in the Grandparent and Single Parent segments and because the Divorce and Single Parent segments may raise personal or emotional issues not well suited for a classroom setting. Some of this material doesn't seem necessary to fulfill the video's stated purpose. And given their age, one or more 5th graders could even possibly be influenced to question their sexuality or future sexual habits by some of that material. Should public schools really run the risk of possibly influencing even just one child in that way? Do you really want that kind of potential responsibility? Why do so when it's not needed to teach mutual acceptance and respect in other areas. For example, world history classes cover various religions, but they do not and can not encourage students to embrace any particular religion or to question their own. …” |