Last year in 2023, a controversial bill (HB119/SB199) was introduced to force the Maryland Comprehensive Health Education Framework upon local school districts. The bill failed, because it encroached on local control as the state cannot force curriculum down to the counties. The Maryland bill has been reintroduced this year in the House as HB558, which amends the Comprehensive Health Education Framework requirements. Only this time, the Democrats separated gender-identity and sexual orientation from the Family Life and Human Sexuality component. The Family Life and Human Sexuality component had an opt-out provision for parents to remove their child from the teaching. Now that the components have been separated, gender-identity and sexual orientation is forced with no opt-out provision for parents.
What does this all mean?
This extreme bill recently passed in the House and in now in the Senate. If it passes in the Senate, your child will be taught gender-identity and sexual orientation by force whether you like it or not.
Please take 3 minutes to listen:
What can you do? There are three options:
1. Contact our legislators in the Senate by referring to HB558.
brian.feldman@senate.state.md.us, Cheryl.Kagan@senate.state.md.us, malcolm.augustine@senate.state.md.us, benjamin.brooks@senate.state.md.us, marybeth.carozza@senate.state.md.us, jason.gallion@senate.state.md.us,
katiefry.hester@senate.state.md.us, karen.young@senate.state.md.us, bryan.simonaire@senate.state.md.us, mary.washington@senate.state.md.us, ron.watson@senate.state.md.us, johnny.mautz@senate.state.md.us
Sample letter:
Dear Senator,
What the House did with HB558 was an extreme and forceful move to defy the rights of parents. We always expect legislators to find a common ground across party lines and to judiciously improve the condition of the people.
Maryland Constitution Art. 43 : That the Legislature ought to encourage the diffusion of knowledge and virtue, the extension of a judicious system of general education, the promotion of literature, the arts, sciences, agriculture, commerce and manufactures, and the general melioration of the condition of the People.
The Family Life and Human Sexuality component had an opt-out provision for parents to remove their child from the teaching. Now that the components have been maliciously separated, gender-identity and sexual orientation is forced with no opt-out provision for parents. It also overreaches local control. The topic of gender-identity and sexual orientation has nothing to do with general education, and its intention violates rights by forcing a captive audience of minor children with no opt-out provision for parents. Anything by force is unconstitutional, and is not judicious by any means.
I oppose HB558 and ask that you do the same in the Senate.
Sincerely,
2. You can sign up to testify on HB558 in writing or in person:
3. Exit your child from the public school system and seek an alternative.
Fellows & Editors
February 29, 2024 - Copyright DelmarvaPTC.org
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