How to Opt Your Kid Out of New Jersey’s Woke Curriculum Without Moving to Florida

Back to School

It’s that time of year again when you have to get in front of the activists forcing their belief system on your kids by writing your opt-out form (example at the end of this article). Activist organizations like the NJEA and Garden State Equality continually push their political worldview through the New Jersey Department of Education, where gender is a construct, boys who think they are girls belong in girls locker rooms and sports, and teachers should have in-depth discussions about sexuality with children.

The New Jersey education push for “gender ideology” is a thoroughly modern invention, a departure from the historical, biological understanding of male and female. It’s a progressive concept that has no basis in science and is a fundamental break from the historical understanding of human nature and family structure. While there ARE people who exist who have complicated genetic biological disorders that interfere with their binary sex, and people who are are unhappy with the normal healthy sex they were born with… there is no reason this has to be pushed in your kid’s face during school. Garden State Equality was instrumental in advocacy, support, and policy drafting efforts surrounding the transgender Policy 5756, which changes gender identity in permanent school records and hides it from parents, and allows children to access the bathroom, locker room, sex ed class, or sport which aligns with the gender they are feeling today.

The video below shows a New Jersey classroom, a middle school teacher art teacher, who by all accounts seems to genuinely care about “their” students. The school year with an introduction by “them”, which includes “thems” choice of non-binary gender and a pronoun lesson, which is culturally on brand with today’s modern classroom setting.

The Lovers the Dreamers and Me (Rainbow Connection)

NJEA publishes the “Rainbow Connection” which supplies teachers with sexual orientation and gender resources that uplift facility with affirmation, and GSA advocacy while avoiding “anti-queer microaggressions” from administrators. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there with the adults… They’ve also involved kids with teacher-student queer-affirming events in schools and community, and queer-affirmation in curricular documents where they focus on ways to infuse ”relevant LGBTQIA+ histories” into classroom curricular content in all subjects.

The New Jersey State Curriculum

These groups and many others have advocated for LGBTQIA+ curriculum and pleasure based sex ed in NJ curriculum standards (for all standards please click this link). The following list highlights some of the most concerning standards by grade, some of which seem entirely inappropriate for public education:

Pre-K to 2nd grade:

2.1.2.PGD.5: List medically accurate names for body parts, including the genitals.

2.1.2.SSH.2: Discuss the range of ways people express their gender and how gender-role stereotypes may limit behavior.

3rd to 5th grade:

2.1.5.PGD.4: Explain common human sexual development and the role of hormones (e.g., romantic and sexual feelings, masturbation, mood swings, timing of pubertal onset).

2.1.5.PGD.5: Identify trusted adults, including family members, caregivers, school staff, and health care professionals, whom students can talk to about relationships and ask questions about puberty and adolescent health.

2.1.5.PP.1: Explain the relationship between sexual intercourse and human reproduction.

2.1.5.PP.2: Explain the range of ways pregnancy can occur (e.g., IVF, surrogacy).

2.1.5.SSH.1: Describe gender-role stereotypes and their potential impact on self and others.

2.1.5.SSH.2: Differentiate between sexual orientation and gender identity.

2.1.5.SSH.3: Demonstrate ways to promote dignity and respect for all people (e.g. sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, differing ability, immigration status, family configuration).

6th to 8th Grade

2.1.8.PP.1: Describe pregnancy testing, the signs of pregnancy, and pregnancy options, including parenting, abortion, and adoption.

2.1.8.SSH.2: Develop a plan for the school to promote dignity and respect for people of all genders, gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations in the school community.

2.1.8.SSH.5: Analyze the similarities and differences between friendships, romantic relationships and sexual relationships.

2.1.8.SSH.7: Identify factors that are important in deciding whether and when to engage in sexual behaviors.

2.1.8.SSH.8: Identify factors that can affect the ability to give or perceive consent to sexual activity (e.g., body image, self-esteem, alcohol, other substances).

2.1.8.SSH.9: Define vaginal, oral, and anal sex.

2.1.8.SSH.10: Identify short and long-term contraception and safer sex methods that are effective and describe how to access and use them (e.g., abstinence, condom).

2.1.8.CHSS.2: Describe the state and federal laws related to age of consent, minors’ ability to consent to health care, confidentiality in a healthcare setting, child pornography, sexting, safe haven and sex trafficking.

2.1.8.CHSS.3: Identify the state and federal laws related to minors’ access to sexual healthcare services, including pregnancy and STIs/HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment.

2.1.8.CHSS.4: Identify community resources and/or other sources of support, such as trusted adults, including family members, caregivers, and school staff, that students can go to if they are or someone they know is being sexually harassed, abused, assaulted, exploited, or trafficked.

2.1.8.CHSS.5: Identify medically accurate sources of information about STIs, including HIV, such as local STIs /HIV prevention, steps to obtain PrEP and PEP, testing, and treatment resources.

9th to 12th grade

2.1.12.SSH. 1: Analyze the influences of peers, family, media, social norms and culture on the expression of gender, sexual orientation, and identity.

2.1.12.SSH.2: Advocate for school and community policies and programs that promote dignity and respect for people of all genders, gender expressions, gender identities, and sexual orientations.

Opt-Out

In New Jersey, parents have the right to request that their child be excused from a specific health, family life, or sex education lesson. This is often referred to as “opting out.” The process for this is defined in New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) 6A:8-5.2(a) and also referenced in N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.7. However if some of these topics come up in a different class i.e. ELA or social studies, this request may or may not be honored by the school in that subject.

Find your sample letter here: