Metro DC PFLAG Sends Questionnaire to All Montgomery County Candidates for the Board of Education
On May 14, 2024, Montgomery County voters will have the opportunity for vote in the primary election for three of the seven adult seats on its Board of Education. The top two vote-getters in each race will proceed to the general election this November. Filing for this election closed on Feb. 9, and today, Feb. 10, Metro DC PFLAG sent to each candidate a Questionnaire, the answers to which should assist voters in making their decisions. We will be posting those answers next month. Here is what we sent to each candidate:
February 10, 2024
Dear XXXXXXXX:
For many years, the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG has worked cooperatively with MCPS and the Board of Education to foster a positive environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, and Gender Non-Conforming students.
In order to inform our members and supporters of the viewpoints of the candidates running to serve on the Board of Education, we respectfully request that you answer the five brief questions pasted below. In order to provide a context, we include background materials. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we will not be endorsing candidates for office, but we will pass along your answers, and anything else you would like to let us know, to our members and supporters.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
We would appreciate your response no later than March 10, 2024.
Typing in your responses in a Reply email to fishbackpflag@gmail.com would be appreciated.
Thank you,
David S. Fishback, Maryland Advocacy Co-Chair, Metro DC PFLAG
cc: Mark Eckstein, Maryland Advocacy Co-Chair, Metro DC PFLAG
1. HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Background
The secondary school Family Life and Human Sexuality curriculum provides that with respect to matters of sexual orientation and gender identity, the lessons are not “scripted” (as they were prior to 2014), but rather that “instructional planning resources [are] developed similar to all other content areas, including sample learning tasks, suggested instructional resources, and teacher guidance (e.g., the American Psychological Association’s Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality. This approach 'permits teachers to plan instruction based on the specific needs of their students, as they do in all other content areas.'” See May 14, 2014 Memorandum from the Superintendent at pp. 5-6, adopted by the Board of Education on June 17, 2014.
Question
What is your position on the inclusion of information from mainstream American medical and mental health professional associations in the MCPS health education curriculum?
2. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Background
MCPS guidelines and regulations make it very clear that the Board of Education “expects all students and staff to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates mutual respect without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived personal characteristics, such as . . . gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, [and] family/parental status.” See, for example, A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities in Montgomery County Public Schools, Employee Code of Conduct in Montgomery County Public Schools, and MCPS Policy ACA: Nondiscrimination, Equity, and Cultural Proficiency.
With respect to gender identity and expression, MCPS provides specific Guidelines. See Guidelines Regarding Student Gender Identity.
Question
What is your view of MCPS anti-discrimination approach with respect to LGBTQ+ students and employees?
3. SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS
Background
On February 4, 2020, the Board of Education’s Committee on Special Populations reviewed its Support for LGBTQ+ Students Update. This review included discussion of MCPS initiatives for support of LGBTQ Students.
One of these initiatives has been inclusion of materials in the elementary level English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum that are inclusive of a wide range of previously-ignored groups, including LGBTQ+ students and their families. Last year, litigants supported by extremely conservative groups like Moms for Liberty challenged in federal court the MCPS decision to not allow opt-outs when such materials are used. In August, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland denied litigants’ request for an injunction to block MCPS’s decision in a 60-page decision. The matter is on appeal in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.)
Question
What is your view of the initiatives announced in February 2020 and the recent ELA actions?
4. SCHOOL NAMING
Background
In 2018, the Board of Education decided to name the new Richard Montgomery Cluster Elementary School after Bayard Rustin, a gay African American civil rights activist who was instrumental to organizing the 1963 March of Washington, which became the platform for Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Question
What is your view of the naming of Bayard Rustin Elementary School?
5. ATTEMPTS TO BAR DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR GENDER EXPRESSION.
Background
In some parts of the country, laws and regulations have been enacted to prohibit public schools from discussing or even mentioning sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. See, for example, What You Need to Know about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” and “Don’t Say They” Laws, Book Bans, and Other Curricula Restrictions, published in 2023 by the National Education Association, the Florida Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers; and 'Don't Say Gay' bill would limit discussion of sexuality and gender in Florida schools, reported by National Public Radio in 2022.
In 2022, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg succintly explained the implication of such laws and regulations.
Question
What is your view of these efforts? What do you think of Secretary Buttigieg’s perspective?
6. IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, PLEASE DO SO.