MORE DISTRICT NEWS
ASSEMBLYWOMAN MALLIOTAKIS JOINS CALL FOR NYC DEPT OF EDUCATION TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE SEX EDUCATION CURRICULUM
October 24th, 2011Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis speaks at a press conference promoting alternative sex education curriculum.
Assemblywoman Malliotakis (R,C-Staten Island/Brooklyn) today joined Congressman Bob Turner (R,C-Brooklyn/Queens) and State Senator Marty Golden (R,C-Brooklyn), in calling on the New York City Department of Education to offer parents an alternative to the controversial sex education curriculum set to be implemented this coming January. The legislators joined the NYC Parents’ Choice Coalition in demanding that the parents of New York City students be given a choice of what type of sex education their children receive.
“Legislatures across the nation spend millions upon millions of dollars to combat sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy, highlighting the importance of sexual education. However, this particular curriculum being forced on children by the New York City Department of Education contains material that is both explicit and graphic,” said Malliotakis. “We are calling on the city to offer an alternative program, which is more focused on abstinence, while teaching the potential dangers and consequences of engaging in sexual activity. Parents should have a choice as to what level, and in which time frame, their children learn about sex.”
The controversial program involves sending students to visit abortion clinics and inquire about confidentiality policies, as well as drug stores to catalogue condom brands. According to NYC Parents’ Choice Coalition, who has obtained a copy of the curriculum, the program directs students to a Web site that discusses topics such as bestiality, pornography and mutual masturbation. Under this program, parents can remove their children only from the portion of the curriculum dealing with birth control.
“The DOE should have a very simple and straight forward sex education curriculum that teaches children about their bodies and the changes they go through,” said Sam Pirozzolo, President of Community Education Council 31. “They should be taught about sex and pregnancy and how not to become pregnant. Any other conversation about sex, straight sex, gay sex, sexual positions, multiple partners, and so on, goes far beyond what any child or person needs to know to keep themselves safe.”
Michael Reilly, also of the Community Education Council, added, “It is unacceptable that parents will only have an “opt out” option in regards to birth control methods. The parents should have more options concerning sex education and their children. The lack of transparency with this program has only inflamed tensions between parents and the DOE.”
“New York is a multi-cultural city whose residents hold a variety of deeply held beliefs and social traditions,” said former State Assemblyman Michael Benjamin (D), the Executive Director of the New York City Parents’ Choice Coalition. “It’s wrong to force them to choose between what the City is planning and no sex education at all. Parents who want a more traditional, abstinence-based sex education curriculum for their children should be able to have that.”
NOTE: Please contact Paul Marrone at (917) 612-8656 for further comment or information.
