Star-Ledger editorial finally admits that parents have the right to know

By Rubashov

It took a long time, but in a Sunday editorial the editorial board of the Star-Ledger finally admitted that “parents should give input on sex ed”. The editors of the state’s largest newspaper finally embraced the democratic principle that the governed – the taxed – should have the right to know what their children are being taught and that education bureaucracies should seek and receive their consent. Basic democracy, but it sure did take a long time for them to see it.
   
Of course, they had to sour the moment. Much in the way of an abusive, egotistical husband – the editorial board gave its mea culpa only after cataloging the faults of the injured spouse: “Sure, I’ve been wrong, but she’s a… bigot. I was wrong, but she had it coming.” Name-calling has never been a good look for you.
 
The editorial board went far afield in its invective, even noting their disdain for Tucker Carlson and his red light – which was funny coming from folks who had waxed so lyrically about the joys of Newark’s “Little Theatre”. Talk about red light!  
 
The Star-Ledger editorial board is just part of a long list of politicians, interest group lobbyists, and establishment media who have for years pushed their ideas on the indoctrination of school children without the involvement of parents. In fact, there are numerous laws designed to block parents from knowing – placing the education bureaucracy between parent and child – while requiring parents to pay the highest property taxes in America to fund that education bureaucracy.
 
In a summary of changes made in the updated education standards approved by the unelected State Board of Education in June 2020, the New Jersey School Boards Association noted all the instances when the word “parents” was cut out of the new standards. For example: “Parents and guardians impact the development of their children physically, socially and emotionally” was replaced with, “Family members impact the development of their children physically, socially and emotionally.”
 
For some education bureaucrats and interest group lobbyists, “parents” evidently don’t exist – or it’s a concept they’d like to consign to the scrap heap. What they don’t want them to stop doing – whatever they choose to rename them – is paying higher and higher property taxes to fund the education bureaucracy.
 
Yesterday’s editorial marks a sea-change however, with the Star-Ledger joining such former advocates as Governor Phil Murphy and Senator Vin Gopal in questioning what they had so recently pushed. Senator Gopal co-sponsored the law that created the curriculum problem. Governor Murphy signed it. The Star-Ledger praised it. But now there is a growing recognition that they’ve screwed up in a very big way and that they need to make a course correction before it is too late. This is from yesterday’s editorial:
 
Some of the sample materials posted online as a resource for teachers and distributed to parents in Westfield were too specific, as Sen. Holly Schepisi, a Republican, pointed out. For instance: Teachers are instructed to promote a website called Amaze and its YouTube channel to kids as young as 9 for additional information on sex ed, and while some of these videos are quite good, others, like one about how watching pornography is “normal,” just aren’t something most parents want to show their fifth grader.
 
This is a change from earlier in the week, when the Star-Ledger trotted out four of the interest group lobbyists who have been brought in by politicians and education bureaucrats. It has been these outside groups who have pushed the most controversial materials and stirred the greatest concern amongst parents. At the beginning of last week they were being brought in for a fightback – now everyone is distancing themselves from them.

This is who Politico selected to provide "unbiased" coverage of education issues in New Jersey.

Apparently, Politico didn’t get the memo. Late last week, they tapped LGBTQ+ advocate Carly Sitrin (who is also their education reporter), who attempted to make the debate over curriculum a partisan issue, when it plainly isn’t. The people paying the highest property taxes in America to fund their education bureaucracy have a right to know and a say in what that money is being used for. It's not blue or red – it’s just basic democracy.

Carly Sitrin’s Politico column highlighted the fact that some Republicans are part of the problem. Her column quoted a “New Jersey GOP strategist” who appeared to accuse some elected Republicans of using “extreme right-wing buzzwords” about the curriculum issue. According to Sitrin’s column, this GOP strategist said that this didn’t “resonate with the typical New Jersey Republican voter who leans more socially moderate”.

Well, that’s not what recent polling tells us. According to a fresh poll of GOP and Undeclared voters, conducted in a Democrat-controlled congressional district at about the same time Sitrin was writing her Politico piece, voters are very engaged:

DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF MANDATING THAT CHILDREN IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BE TAUGHT LESSONS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND LGBTQ ISSUES.

APPROVE 4.0
Strongly 1.2
Somewhat 2.8
DISAPPROVE 93.8
Somewhat 2.8
Strongly 91.0
DK/REFUSED 2.2

That’s pretty lopsided. Not much room for confusion. Which might explain why so many former supporters of these curriculum mandates are having second thoughts.