Tag: curriculum

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NJ Candidate For Gov Wants To End LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum

Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Jack Ciattarelli

Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Jack Ciattarelli
Jack Ciattarelli (image via Twitter)
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor, promised potential supporters during a campaign appearance that if elected he would put a stop to the LGBTQ curriculum currently being taught in schools. Ciattarelli made the remarks while visiting a gun range on June 26. Video of the comments were released on Tuesday, July 13, by The Gothamist.

“I feel lucky [our kids] are in their 20s and I don’t have to be dealing with what you’re dealing with right now. You won’t have to deal with it when I’m governor, but we’re not teaching gender ID and sexual orientation to kindergarteners. We’re not teaching sodomy in sixth grade. And we’re going to roll back the LGBTQ curriculum. It goes too far.”

First, kindergarteners are not being “taught” sexual orientation. A law recently passed in the state, Assembly Bill 4454, “requires school districts to include instruction on diversity and inclusion” beginning this fall for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. A second law, Senate Bill 1569, requires instructional materials “that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” “Sodomy” is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “anal or oral copulation with a member of the same or opposite sex.” But, it’s often used as ‘code’ to equate LGBTQ people with deviancy. Ciattarelli was asked about his use of the word. The candidate said in a statement that it had “absolutely nothing to do with someone’s sexual orientation and the inference that it does is purposefully misleading.” He added, “Read my statement. It has to do with mature content being taught to young children. That is a parent’s job, not the school district’s.” I don’t think the Republican picked the word “sodomy” to reference all kinds of “mature content.” And I’m not alone.

Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, told The Gothamist that Ciattarelli’s use of the word sounded as if he was “speaking in code or virtue-signaling to a very specific group of people.” “He goes on to say more bluntly that he wants to roll back some of the progress the LGTBQ community has made,” added Fuscarino. “We’ve seen enough of that at the federal level the last four years with the Trump administration.”

Ciattarelli’s opponent in November will be the current governor, Democrat Phil Murphy. Murphy, a longtime ally to the LGBTQ community, has received support and endorsements from several LGTBQ advocates and leaders in the Garden State.

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AG Bill Barr Has A Problem With LGBTQ Inclusion In School Curriculum

Attorney General Bill Barr (image via Flickr/WhiteHouse – public domain)
Attorney General William Barr says he has a problem with the inclusion of consequential LGBTQ figures in public school curriculums that do not allow homophobic parents to opt-out their kids on the basis of religious beliefs. From The Hill:

“Many states are adopting curriculum that is incompatible with traditional Judeo-Christian principles. … They often do this without any opt-out provision for religious families,” Barr said.

He particularly cited laws in New Jersey, California, and Illinois requiring an LGBT curriculum.

“The Orange County Board of Education in California issued an opinion that ‘parents who disagree with the instructional material … may not excuse their children from this instruction,'” he said, lamenting that in some cases parents are not “warned” about the material.

Schools already teach about the heroes of the civil rights movement and the women’s rights movements. What is the harm in teaching kids about the Stonewall uprising? As former Vice President Joe Biden pointed out at the LGBTQ Town Hall this week, almost half of all Americans incorrectly believe that federal law protects LGBTQ people from discrimination. Including some lessons on the struggles and accomplishments of LGBTQ Americans could help solve that issue.

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Podcast: POSE Scores At 2019 Imagen Awards; Trans Student Kicked Out Of Christian College; Ice Cream Ad Goes Awry

In this week's podcast: • POSE star MJ Rodriguez honored as "Best Actress" in TV series at 2019 Imagen Awards which recognize positive portrayals of Latinx people in the media • New ad spot compares eating ice cream with hugging your same-sex boyfriend in countries where homosexuality is punishable with prison time (what???) • Illinois becomes the 5th state to include LGBTQ history in public school curriculum • A trans student is kicked out of his Christian college for having top surgery • A masseur suing Kevin Spacey for alleged sexual battery says other alleged victims have contacted him

In this week’s podcast:

• POSE star MJ Rodriguez honored as “Best Actress” in TV series at 2019 Imagen Awards which recognize positive portrayals of Latinx people in the media

• New ad spot compares eating ice cream with hugging your same-sex boyfriend in countries where homosexuality is punishable with prison time (what???)

• Illinois becomes the 5th state to include LGBTQ history in public school curriculum

• A trans student is kicked out of his Christian college for having top surgery

• A masseur suing Kevin Spacey for alleged sexual battery says other alleged victims have contacted him

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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NJ Mayor Calls LGBT Curriculum “An Affront To Almighty God”

Republican Mayor Alfonso Cirulli of Barnegat Township, New Jersey, is angry over a new law that will introduce LGBT curriculum to schools and has launched a campaign urging residents to join him in his outrage.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1569, was signed into law in January by Gov. Phil Murphy. The law requires middle and high schools to include lessons on the contributions of LGBT people as well as people with disabilities.

Cirulli, a former assistant principal, told a meeting of the Barnegat Township Committee, “The government has no right to teach our kids morality,” according to the Asbury Park Press.

The 60-year-old mayor, who wants the new law reversed, declared the LGBTQ movement is “an affront to Almighty God.”

Mayor Alfonso Cirulli (image via Barnegat Township website)

Cirulli’s position is that teaching teens about the achievements and contributions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people amounts to “indoctrination” and violates the religious rights of parents.

He also denounced the legalization of same-sex marriage as well.

The Park Press reports the mayor’s comments were met primarily with silence by those in attendance, although some citizens were quick to denounce his statements.

Peggy A. Houle, currently running for a three-year term on the Township Committee, told the mayor, “You are misusing and abusing your power.”

Briget Nunn, a town resident and mental health clinician who often works with LGBTQ youth, told the committee during the public comments period, “I understand that everyone is entitled to their belief and their religious ideas, … but what I have a problem with is when you bring them into a public forum.”

“As public officials … you have to be careful about what message you’re sending to these kids I’m counseling, who are already in your schools feeling like they’re isolated, alone and not getting the support they need,” she added. “The idea is to teach compassion, tolerance, and understanding.”

Radio station 1010 WINS reports resident Marianne Clemente told the mayor, “You think your speaking dais is a pulpit. You are not supposed to bring religion into this. At other times I have heard you mention Jesus in your speeches, and that is totally inappropriate. We have a separation of church and state. Damn it, adhere to it.”

Jon Oliveira, director of communications for pro-LGBTQ organization Garden State Equality, called Cirulli’s comments “deeply troubling.”

“You cannot opt-out of LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum just like you cannot opt-out of science or black history simply because of ill-informed or close-minded beliefs,” said Oliveira in an email. “LGBTQ history is a part of American history, and to hide or misrepresent who, how, and why we are here today means students would otherwise be learning fiction.”

It comes as no surprise that Cirulli’s Facebook page is filled with a litany of pro-Trump, anti-Hillary Clinton propaganda.