After verification, the news quoted in this blog post itself is false. As early as 2016, the fact-checking section on the Snoops website had refuted this fake news that was sent in 2015. Intercept the original rumor as follows:
The photo shown in the original article is actually not a photo of Sharon Mercer, a substitute teacher in Florida, but a photo of Carlyle Jansen, the founder and owner of a progressive and female-friendly sex shop in Toronto, who was invited to talk about sexual health in high schools in Toronto. But Ms. Jansen told us that she also teaches sex education classes for adult audiences. The photos shown in the original article were taken in a college-level class (not in the sixth grade), and "she will not introduce the gestures and tools appearing in the pictures into the content of high school."
In view of the fact that the core information in this news is false, other information contained in the news is also very suspicious. In addition to showing abnormal sex education classes, it is also said that California public schools guide 6-year-olds to question their sexual orientation and their gender identity. Since this information does not give any source and supporting evidence, we think it is likely to be false.
First of all, the name of this bill is California Health Youth Act.
Photo: Full-text information about Healthy Health Act on the California Court website.
Adoption date: 2015
Effective date: January 1, 2016
Applicable area: California
Education Act Code: 5193051939(AB329)
The main contents of the bill are as follows:
1. All junior high schools and senior high schools in California must carry out comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education at least once (that is, at least twice in total), and it is not allowed to give students simple instructions and guidance.
2. The education given in all school grades must be age-appropriate and medically accurate (that is, it must be accepted by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations). Educational courses must not promote religious teachings, and all parts must be coordinated with each other.
3. Sexual health education must take into account and respect the needs of students of all genders and sexual orientations. Educational instructions must recognize and affirm different sexual orientations, and it is necessary to include same-sex relationships when providing cases of partners and relationships. Sex education must teach students the knowledge of gender, gender expression and gender identity, and at the same time make students understand the possible harm caused by negative gender stereotypes.
4. The sex education course starts from the seventh grade. These courses must include all safe and effective methods (including condoms, contraceptives and antiviral treatment) approved by FDA to prevent pregnancy and HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. They must also include information about HIV, pregnancy, sexual harassment, sexual assault, healthy relationships and prostitution, and should also provide resources for local students to get help.
5. Parents must be informed in advance that their children will receive sex education and HIV prevention education, and parents also have the right to check the materials they use before the education course begins. Parents or other guardians can withdraw their children from such education courses by submitting a written application.
6. School teachers and off-campus lecturers must know the latest and accurate medical research information related to this topic and have received relevant training. The district government must regularly provide training to the teaching staff who teach HIV prevention education in the district. Off-campus organizations and lecturers must also follow all relevant laws and regulations when teaching.
7. Sex education courses must be suitable for students with disabilities, language courses and students of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
According to the full text of the California Health Youth Act, the bill does not directly involve the content of "giving students tips on how to use sex toys, anal sex lubricants, and defining anal sex and telephone sex as normal sexual behavior" mentioned by Weibo.
Article 3 of the bill involves that "sexual health education must take into account and respect the needs of students of all genders and sexual orientations", that is, it recognizes that "homosexuality" has the same status as "heterosexuality" as a sexual orientation. But it does not refer to the "abnormal love" involving unconventional and anti-ethics.
To sum up, the "sex education course of homosexual perversion" is a part of "California Healthy Youth Act 2015", most of which are false.
In Weibo, American politics pointed out that California "forbids parents to take their children away from these obscene LGBT sex education classes". However, Weibo didn’t explain it in detail, but the attached picture seems to support this view-the picture of Weibo is a screenshot of the article "California classes parents from pulling kids from’ obscenity’ LGBT sex ed classes" published on April 23, 2018 on Your News Wire website (that is, "California prohibits parents from taking their children away from" obscene "sex education classes).
The reporter of the nuclear record found this report through search.
Two interpretations are mentioned in this paper. One interpretation is represented by Kira Davis, a pro-Republican resident of Orange County, California. They believe that the California Adolescent Health Act protects parents’ right to keep their children from participating in sex education without being fined. Because parents and guardians have a decisive role in instilling values about sexual orientation. Kira Davis is quoted as saying that California does not prohibit parents from taking their children out of sex education classes.
The other is represented by Ronaldo Winkate, general consultant of Orange County Education Department. They believe that parents who disagree with California’s LGBT policy "may not be able to keep their children from accepting such courses." He believes that parents still have the right to "advise their children not to accept" such courses to weaken the influence of this regulation. The article quoted Ronaldo Winkate as saying that California prohibits parents from taking their children out of sex education classes, but parents can offset the influence of sex education classes through other channels.
As far as this report is concerned, two opposing views are quoted, which is not as sure as the title that "California prohibits parents from taking their children away from’ obscene’ sex education classes", and the title is suspected of exaggeration.
So, is it true that California prohibits parents from "taking their children out of sex education classes"?
The reporter found on the website of the California court that the controversial clause "Can parents take their children away from these sex education courses" was actually revised several times after the bill was first passed in 2015. The related contents of the latest revision (SEC 14.5) displayed on the website are as follows:
Photo: Excerpt from the latest revised version of the bill
"A. Parents and guardians have the right to exempt some or all of their children from comprehensive sexual health education, HIV prevention education and other related assessments, but they must withdraw voluntarily."
"B. At the beginning of the school year, parents should be informed that their children will receive education related to sex education and HIV prevention. Parents should be provided with a detailed information about this, including information such as materials used in the course. "
But at the same time, in the earlier part of the bill, it was also mentioned that this health bill does not apply to materials and education about relationships, sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom. In fact, the seemingly contradictory between these two parts of the bill is also a big reason for the confusion and controversy of the public.
Based on this, Snopes.com, an American fact-checking website, called the California Department of Education for an inquiry, and its spokesman’s answer clarified this issue, which is summarized as follows:
1. Parents can withdraw their children from all courses on comprehensive sex education (including preventive education on HIV and STI, sexual orientation, gender identity, relationships, etc.).
2. Parents can withdraw their children from separate courses on HIV and STI prevention.
3. Parents can’t make their children just quit the courses about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Figure: The interface of the California Department of Education website about the bill.
It can be seen that most of this news is false. California parents still have a great degree of choice in their children’s sex education.
The goal of common core state standard is to prepare American students for college and career. The official website of California on the common core curriculum standard shows that the common core standard is the standard of English language and mathematics level.
As shown in the picture, children in G1, for example, should be able to ask and answer the details in the text, repeat the key details, and trace back the characters, scenes and events, main details and so on.
Therefore, the common core state standard basically does not involve LGBT sex education classes.
In addition, the common core is a universal standard in the United States, which represents the expectation for students, but it does not mean the curriculum and teaching materials. Courses are formulated by states, school districts, schools and even teachers based on common core standards, and the course plan of each class is of course formulated by the teaching teachers according to the situation of their own classes. Therefore, the so-called "curriculum being adopted in many States" is also likely to be false.