Worcester Candidates React To Anti-Gay Comments In Schools Race

WORCESTER, MA — With about two weeks before the November election, several candidates in the Worcester School Committee race are responding to anti-gay comments attributed to one candidate running for a seat.

Last week, School Committee candidate Shanel Soucy said screenshots that purportedly show her negatively commenting on gay people were "falsified" and were being circulated by a "hate group" that dislikes her opposition to Worcester's new sex education curriculum.

"I do not support homosexual behavior ... never have ... never will ... some of my closest friends, clients and more practice this lifestyle and I have been clear about my beliefs about it," one screenshot shows a comment attributed to Soucy saying on Facebook.

The comments have since been deleted, but can be seen on Twitter and Facebook.

Read: Worcester Candidate Accused Of Making Anti-LGBTQ Comments

Soucy and the seven other 2021 Worcester School Committee candidates — including incumbents Dianna Biancheria, Tracy Novick, Molly McCullough and Laura Clancey, and challengers Sue Mailman, Jermoh Kamara and Jermaine Johnson — met for a forum on Wednesday, but the online comments did not come up as a topic.

Patch reached out to each of the seven candidates running alongside Soucy to ask what they thought of the comments, and Soucy's opposition to Worcester's new sex-ed curriculum.

Sue Mailman:

"My focus is on getting first-rate schools that will support the needs and success of all students and families, no matter their neighborhood or identity. With my business experience, education background, and community relationships, I am well prepared to champion exactly that on the Worcester School Committee."

Jermaine Johnson:

"I have worked with the LGBTQ community as a social worker and will continue to support all children in the Worcester Public Schools."

Jermoh Kamara:

"From first-hand, I have experienced the impact of hate and I am fighting every single day to ensure that hate has no place in our city or schools. Every member of our community, no matter their race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation should feel safe and protected when attending our Worcester Public Schools. With the opportunity to serve on the Worcester School Committee, that’s the message that I will continue to work towards and push for.

"As a public health professional, I ensured this was addressed. One of the 5 Point Plan is to 'Modernize Health, Nutrition, Social and Emotional Education Programming.' This can be achieved with parental input and opt outs when and where desired."

Tracy Novick:

"The misinformation regarding the medically accurate, age appropriate curriculum which was vetted both by professional health educators and by medical advisors prior to adoption has been, I think, dealt with at our forums. The Worcester Public Schools were overdue for such a curriculum, which I recommend any concerned review themselves, rather than believe circulated misinformation. I am gravely concerned that someone who wishes to be in a position of educational leadership might have less than unequivocal support for those in the LGBTQIA community. These are our students, these are our staff, these are our families. Those on the Worcester School Committee have significant power in policymaking and budget decisions. The biases of those around the table have real life consequences for our students, staff, and families. They deserve to be served by those who actively work to create a more just school district that is safe and supportive of all students, including the at least 10 percent who identify as LGBTQIA.

"I would urge Worcester's voters to consider this as they make their choices on the ballot."

Laura Clancey

"First I want to come out and say the most important thing to being a School Committee member is to represent all of our students, families and staff. I saw the post and it sickens me that someone who wants to represent our district would ever have those beliefs. One thing we all pride ourselves on is the diverse community we have in Worcester. I for one feel we have come so far in being a welcoming city for all and this just proves we have so much work to get done.

"In terms of sex ed, the fear they are spreading is disappointing. School Committee members, Worcester health educators and community agencies worked for a very long time to find the best curriculum for Worcester. Topics were chosen that work for our students and families. I know our staff will present all lessons in the most professional manner that will make our students comfortable and open to discussing these very important topics."

Molly McCullough

"There’s a lot of data on how unhealthy we are as a city from a sexual health standpoint. This curriculum helps educate our students about their bodies to become healthier and safer. The data shows this is affecting ALL of our students. For the actual curriculum being used in Worcester, people can go to this link. An elected official’s job is to make decisions utilizing an open mind and not a one-sided and personal viewpoint. That’s what I’ve strived to do and will continue to do in my role as a School Committee member."

Worcester's sex-ed curriculum

Last spring, the School Committee voted 5-2 to adopt the district's first sex-ed curriculum called "Rights, Respect, Responsibility" — or the "3Rs." The two members opposing the curriculum were Biancheria and John Monfredo, who is not running for reelection in 2021. The school system had been debating adopting a sex-ed curriculum for years.

The curriculum was created by the nonprofit Advocates for Youth and written by a group of educators, professors and public health professionals. The curriculum provides sex education at each grade level, beginning with basic anatomy at the lowest grade and continuing through higher grades with concepts like sexuality, reproduction and consent, according to Advocates for Youth.

Worcester parents were given the chance to opt-out of the curriculum, and the phrase "opt-out" became a rallying cry for a group of residents opposed to 3Rs. Lawn signs began appearing in Worcester this summer with the phrase "opt-out" in the same font, colors and style as the website Pornhub.

Soucy has been the leading anti-3Rs candidate in 2021, with some in the group appearing at candidate forums holding "opt-out" signs. Soucy has continued to rail against the curriculum at forums and during campaign speeches.