Sex Ed Curriculum Addressed By Ocean City Council

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City Council members and local parents are asking for the Council to formally support proposed legislation that would give parents a greater choice when it comes to their children's education.

While the Ocean City Board of Education approved the new sex education curriculum last week, residents including some Council members are not happy with the decision. Read More: Revised Sex Ed Curriculum Adopted In Ocean City Schools

Councilman Tom Rotondi said that he had attended the Board meeting last week and was concerned by the standards.

"If your neighbor went to your children and showed them the graphic images that they'll be showing starting at seven, 11 and 12-years-old, they would be arrested for Megan's Law offenses," Rotondi said.

Rotondi called for a resolution to be introduced at the next meeting supporting the "Parents Bill of Rights Act," legislation proposed by State Senators Kristin Corrado and Anthony M. Bucco that would provide parents with more information about what they learn in school and greater control over it.

He criticized the state for "overstepping bounds" and not including parents.

"I was elected, but I was a parent first and I care about my children," Rotondi said. "So with the little, tiny bit of power that having a seat, if I can raise awareness."

Councilman Bob Barr agreed with Rotondi, also voicing his disagreement with the standards.

"I am no prude, but some of the stuff is just absolutely disgusting," Barr said.

He said he wanted to support the proposed legislation as well.

"Parents at the very least should have the opportunity to know beforehand what exactly their child is going to be learning," Barr said.

He reiterated how "disgusting" he found the subject matter.

"Some of it is, in my opinion, borderline porn," Barr said.

Local mom Catherine Panico shared Barr's views, saying "it is soft porn. It is really sick."

Panico voiced concerns that opting-out wouldn't do much as children can still learn from other students.

"They're going to teach this stuff to our kids," another mom, Liz Nicoletti, said. She repeated the issue about opting-out. "They are going to be sexualized at a very young age."

Nicoletti said that the curriculum would cause a "ripple effect" throughout Ocean City.

The school district said that opting-out is an option and that all lessons will be age-appropriate for students.

“We amended our health and physical education curriculum with a team of teachers and administrators with the goal of compliance with the minimum requirements,” Ocean City School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Friedman said in a previous statement. “We made revisions in a thoughtful manner and want our school families to be involved.”