We’ve all heard it said, time & again…”You can’t legislate morality.” But can you legislate Immorality? It certainly appears to many we talked to that those on the democratic side of the isle here in Montana believe that is the goal of the far left.
Last week, all 100 of Montana’s House Representatives received a gift in opposition ofHB234, an act revising laws regarding the public display or dissemination of obscene materials to minors. This material was placed upon their desks as a gift-wrapped book along with a sealed envelope, complete with a sticker that reads:
“Caution: Envelope contains sexually explicit content”
The contents of said envelope are excerpts from the book entitled “Gender Queer”, a self-proclaimed memoir by Maia Kobabe, which is a graphic novel that depicts full frontal
nudity, sex toys, masturbation, a bloody bathroom scene attributed to a woman’s cycle and fellatio.
Now you might think these were gifted by some LGBTQ advocacy group but the truth the information was purchased and placed on the desk of all members of the Montana House of Representatives by the Democratic Minority Caucus. To be clear, the Democratic party spent right at $2000.00 to gift adult legislators materials so obscene they required a disclaimer.
This effort is in concert with multiple pieces of legislation that places this kind of information in the schools and made available to children. It was pointed out that the executive director of the Montana Democratic party is former DPHHS director, Sheila Hogan, it becomes more concerning according to many representatives and senators on the other side of the isle.
We earlier reported on SB99 that would prohibit exposing children to immorality in schools. The distribution of the book galvanized many representatives in both houses on the issue according to members of the Montana Freedom Caucus.
HB234 also on the subject of immorality went through the house with full opposition from the left of the isle. The legislation moved onto the Senate where
it will be scheduled for hearings. The latest attempt by the democratic caucus is the introduction of SB315. Sponsored by Mary Dunwell E Kerr-Carpenter, M. Marler, S. Webber, S.Webber,
J. Gross, S. Obrien, Elie Boldman, A olsen, R. Lynch, D. Hayman E. Mcclafferty, S Morigeau B. Carter, Z Zephyr, M. Romano all supporting what many refer to as; “the abomination and exploitation of the human body in public schools.”
This legislation if passed would expand criteria for comprehensive personal health and safety education. The legislation would in part authorize school districts to provide consent education authorizing students to opt out of comprehensive sexual health education. Those that we spoke to are concerned that the nose under the camels tent is within this expansive change in Montana law.
Personal health and safety education and sexual health education curricula is reviewed by the school boards across Montana. Under the new law under education new definitions would be added providing a programmatic process for reviewing curriculum and providing for changes in education in Montana schools.
NEW SECTION of law defines health, sexual behavior, and expands on traditional medical terms that are not currently in law. Teaching professionals would be held to a standard providing a safe learning space, free from shame, stigma, and ideology, and are trained in trauma-informed teaching methodologies. Age and developmentally appropriate education that aligns with the national sex education standards, including information on consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence would be placed in the school administrative school policies. “Comprehensive sexual health education” would be placed in the personal health and safety program as defined. “Consent” provides for an affirmative, knowing, conscious, ongoing, and voluntary agreement to engage in interpersonal, physical, or sexual activity.
The legislation changes many aspects of existing law providing for what is promoted as a change that is culturally diverse, protecting individuals, families, and communities in an inclusive, respectful, and effective manner, including using materials and instruction that are inclusive of race, ethnicity, language, cultural background, immigration status, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sexual behavior.
“Gender stereotype” based on preconception about what attributes, characteristics, or roles are or ought to be taught, possessed by, or performed by people based on their gender identity. That leads to the claim that the new law will provide for “Healthy relationships” between individuals that consist of mutual respect,trust, honesty, support, fairness, equity, separate identities, physical and emotional safety, and good communication. “Identity” means a person’s understanding of how the person identifies their own sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression without stereotypes, shame, or stigma.
The new law also would redefine “Inclusive” to mean inclusion of marginalized communities that include but are not limited to people of color, immigrants, people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, people who are intersex, people with disabilities, people who have experienced interpersonal or sexual violence, and others.
With a total of 20 new definitions the new legislation is aimed at redefining all aspects of education according to several parents that we spoke to that have removed their children from public education because of this shift.
New section of law would change Comprehensive personal health and safety education placing additional requirements on the school districts. That would include providing age and developmentally appropriate comprehensive sexual health education for students in 4th through 12th grade.
A class that teaches comprehensive personal health and safety education or comprehensive sexual health education would be encouraged to use course material and instruction that is age, developmentally appropriate, medically accurate, complete, culturally appropriate, and inclusive…, sensitive to the needs of students based on their status as pregnant or parenting, living with sexually transmitted infections including HIV, sexually active, asexual, or intersex, or based on their gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sexual behavior, or disability.
The law also places communication with parents or guardians, health and social service professionals, other trusted adults, and peers about sexual health and relationships requiring information that develops the use of the internet including social media, dating or relationship websites and applications, and texting.
Reaching further into the new law we found that the provisions expand on providing information and resources that relate to parenting, bullying, interpersonal violence, sexual violence, suicide prevention, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance abuse, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression.
Minor confidentiality and minor consent, including exceptions, consent education, mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect, the safe relinquishment of a newborn child, policies addressing the prevention of and response to interpersonal and sexual violence, school breastfeeding accommodations, addressing the prevention of and response to sexual harassment.
New section of law would provide for– Consent education — requirements. A school district may provide age and developmentally appropriate consent education for students in 4th through 12th grade.
In 4th through 12th grades, topics of instruction and discussion may include but are not limited to setting appropriate physical boundaries with others respecting physical boundaries of others the right to refuse to engage in behaviors or activities that are uncomfortable or unsafe dealing with unwanted physical contact; and helping a peer deal with unwanted physical contact.
New section- Comprehensive health education prohibitions on materials and instruction. A class that teaches comprehensive personal health and safety education or comprehensive sexual health education is discouraged from using course material and instruction that reflects or promotes bias against any person on the basis of the person’s race, ethnicity, language, cultural background, citizenship, religion, HIV status, family structure, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or sexual behavior employs gender stereotypes…
The new law would prohibit deliberately withholding health-promoting or life-saving information about culturally appropriate health care and services, including reproductive health services, hormone therapy, and treatments and options approved by the United States food and drug administration, including but not limited to PrEP and PeP
New section does provide for an opt out of student participation while the class would still be part of the school curriculum, we spoke to several parents that are concerned that forced participation is still a concern even with the opt out provision under the new law providing for comprehensive sexual health education.
A school district may not impose disciplinary action, academic penalty, suspension or expulsion, or any other sanction against a student who refuses to take or participate in a comprehensive personal health and safety education or comprehensive sexual health education class, course, or program. However the full ability of teachers and staff to effectively follow the mandates under state and federal law ar already expansive leaving many afraid to move one way or another in dealing with sex education in the schools.
Curriculum review for parents and guardians must be afforded an opportunity to review the scope and sequence of instructional materials to be used in a class. Recently in Belgrade Montana the aspect of consent by either students and/or parents was brought before the school board with legal concerns. The new law would repeal 20-7-120MCA.– Excused absences from curriculum requirements — notice — prohibited activities
SB315 is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee on February 20th 2023
~ Stay Tuned ~