Do You Know About Assembly Bill 458?

2009 ASSEMBLY BILL 458

Introduced by Representatives GRIGSBY, ROYS, SHILLING,BERCEAU, BLACK, KESSLER, PASCH, FIELDS, VRUWINK, TURNER, SOLETSKI, BENEDICT, POPE−ROBERTS, RICHARDS, SEIDEL, DANOU, POCAN, SINICKI, HINTZ, SMITH, BERNARD SCHABER, DEXTER, HRAYCHUCK, MOLEPSKE JR., ZEPNICK and TOLES, cosponsored by Senators TAYLOR, LEHMAN, SULLIVAN, PLALE, MILLER, RISSER, ROBSON and ERPENBACH. Referred to Committee on Education.

You know how much respect I have for Rep. Tamara Grigsby. That respect is due to how she fights for those whom she represents. However, it’s my mission to be honest in debate and dissent regarding the issues important to Metro Milwaukee. I feel that Grigsby isn’t representing the best interests of her people in authoring legislation AB 458 (Sex Education Legislation).

This legislation is very dangerous for Milwaukee and in particular, Black People. The bill reads as if Planned Parenthood drafted it and is continuing to push its extremely liberal agenda on Wisconsin families. Current Wisconsin law already allows for human growth and development to be taught in schools as approved by a district’s school board. Let me share a comparison of current law vs. proposed legislation.

Current:

Under current law, a school board may provide an instructional program inhuman growth and development in grades kindergarten to 12 that may include instruction in the following areas: 1) self−esteem, responsible decision making, and personal responsibility; 2) interpersonal relationships; 3) discouragement of adolescent sexual activity; and 4) family life and skills required of a parent. The school board may also provide instruction in human sexuality, reproduction, family planning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), prenatal development, childbirth, adoption, available prenatal and postnatal support, and male and female responsibility. If a school board offers instruction in any of these areas, it must also provide instruction in marriage and parental responsibility.

If a school district offers a human growth and development curriculum, the school board must appoint an advisory committee composed of parents, teachers, school administrators, pupils, health care professionals, members of the clergy, and other residents of the school district to assist the school board with the development, review, and implementation of the human growth and development curriculum. The advisory committee must also review the school district’s curriculum at least every three years. Upon the written request of the pupil’s parent or guardian, a pupil shall be exempted from the requirement to complete instruction in human growth and development.

Proposed:

This bill provides that a school board may offer an instructional program inhuman growth and development. If the school board offers an instructional program in human growth and development, the bill requires that the program provide medically accurate information and, when age appropriate, address all of the following: 1) communication between the pupil and the pupil’s parents or guardians about sexuality; 2) reproductive and sexual anatomy and physiology; 3) puberty, pregnancy, parenting, body image, and gender stereotypes; 4) skills to make responsible decisions about sexuality and sexual behavior throughout the pupil’s life span; 5) the benefits of and reasons for abstaining from sexual activity; 6) the health benefits, side effects, and proper use of contraceptives and barrier methods approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; 7) methods for developing healthy life skills, including setting goals, responsible decision making, communication, and stress management; 8) how alcohol or drug use affects responsible decision making; and 9) the impact of media and peer messages on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to sexuality. In addition, the program must do all of the following: 1) use instructional methods and materials that do not promote bias against pupils of any race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnic or cultural background or against sexually active pupils or children with disabilities; 2) promote self−esteem and positive interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on healthy relationships; and 3) identify counseling, medical, and legal resources for survivors of sexual abuse and assault, including resources for escaping violent relationships.

As you just read, AB 458 is attempting to add curriculum that will promote a gay, bi-sexual and transgender education. AB 458 mandates that “instructional methods and materials” must be used in deliverance of the instruction. What could this possibly be? Maybe they use sex toys or demonstrate how same-sex couples are to have sex? After all, the program is inclusive of all sexual preferences. Do you want this to be taught in public schools? Who are these so-called health-care providers teaching students? Why the push now for such a change? Isn’t this almost like a governance change in how sexual education is currently proposed to public schools? The same argument is being used by Rep. Grigsby (and others) to oppose the Mayoral Takeover. Politics as usual and I will always advise you to follow the money.

And of course, there is no mention of the current advisory board. Does this legislation exempt school boards from partnering with parents, clergy and concerned citizens? Why has there been no public meetings about this bill?

The schools need to produce students that can read, count, spell and comprehend. We are failing to produce in those categories, why on earth are we adding additional distractions for these children. Let parents educate their children on sex and let them involve their houses of worship, community centers or other institutions that specialize in those personal life issues. The schools are supposed to be designed to produce academic excellence, not sexual experimentation.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the State Assembly will vote on this bill. I’ve called several representatives today and it looks like the bill will fail. I hope that is the case… if you feel like I do, pick up the phone and call your rep and tell them to stop the madness and defeat this bill.

Rep. Grigsby… sis, I cannot support this paper and we part company on this. After this measure fails please rethink who is pushing you to support this additional (sexual) education reform. You are fighting the Mayor and Governor regarding them stripping the school board of their elected duties. Fight the special interest group(s) that are stripping our Black Children and Black Parents of their God-Given responsibilities.

AB 458 is attached here for YOUR REVIEW.

~ by Giant on November 4, 2009.