'Say No,' Lacey Parents Tell Board Of Ed About Sex Ed Standards

LACEY, NJ — Lacey parents are again asking that the Board of Education not implement controversial sexual education standards, ahead of an Aug. 25 "Listen and Learn" forum with a presentation about the standards and public comment period.

Lacey parents have repeatedly voiced their rejection of the 2020 comprehensive health and physical education standards, as they did at a recent Lacey Township Board of Education meeting.

Before the Aug. 25 forum, held at the Lacey Township High School Media Center at 7:30 p.m., those interested can see the entire health and physical education curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade on the Lacey School District website.

At the forum, there will be a public comment period that will be recorded and brought to the administration and the board, said Superintendent Dr. Vanessa Pereira Clark.

"We're going to take a look at our curriculum once again based on that feedback," Clark said.

Draft copies of the opt-out form will also be available at the forum.

Despite the opportunity to opt-out, parents are asking to not implement the standards at all, as they did at a July meeting. Read More: Parents Beg Lacey Schools To Reconsider Sex Ed Standards

Cheryl Armato said that she looked at some of the curriculum and had to spend "an hour and a half" researching the definitions of vocabulary for eighth graders, citing words such as "ally," "gender identity" and "rape, date rape and acquaintance rape."

"This is where you confuse me," Armato said. She asked for the Board to reconsider the standards.

"It looks like the Board can say no to this," Armato said. "If that's the case, why is this even up for discussion? Why isn't this absolutely no, we're not going to?"

"We can and should just say no," said parent Jessica Deluca. "And of course if you feel like you can't, then we should not have to opt-out. It should be an opt-in."

Deluca also shared information about the curriculum, that in fifth grade children would learn about sexual orientation and by eighth grade would learn about pregnancy and options, along with STDs.

"You are giving our children a handbook and you're grooming them to become sexually active. It is disturbing, absolutely disturbing," Deluca said.

"You are all perverts in my eyes," she said of anyone who allows this to be taught.

"We do not need the school to be indoctrinating our children," said resident Richard Bidnick. "It shouldn't be an opt-in or an opt-out. We don't need it."

"Think about the children's mental health," said Allison Hollister, a mother currently getting her degree to become a teacher.

"It is your decision to do the right thing," Hollister said.

"How can kids be taught this when they're still trying to figure out themselves?" said local mom Tiffany Arevalo. "You're teaching gender expression and sexual orientation when they're still trying to figure out who they are."

"Please keep this out of our schools. Please opt out, not only for the children, but for the parents. For the staff that have to teach this," Arevalo said.

Join the Lacey Township Board of Education on Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the Media Center to learn more about the curriculum.