"Now available
to California children:
Heterosexuality Questionaire:
When and where did you first decide you were
heterosexual?
Is it possible heterosexuality is a phase you will grow out of?
Is it possible you are heterosexual because you fear the same sex?
If you have never slept with someone of the same sex, how do you know
you wouldn’t prefer that?"
LAW OF THE LAND
California Assembly passes 'sex survey' bill
Will allow schools to teach controversial topics without parents' OK
Posted: September 10, 2003
5:00 p.m. Eastern
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
The California state Assembly passed a controversial bill yesterday
allowing public schools to teach and survey students on sexual topics
without written parental permission.
The legislation permits parents to sign a form at the beginning of
the year to "opt out" of any sessions to which they object. But
Republican opponents charge the bill is a ploy by Democrats to erode
the rights of parents, who should be asked for permission to "opt in"
as the current law stipulates.
Randy Thomasson, executive director of
Campaign for California
Families, says SB 71, which passed 44-31 on a virtual party-line
vote, violates "the indescribable bond between a parent and child."
"How is it that written parental permission is required before a
child can go on a field trip but no parental permission will be
required before children are led on sexual mind trips about losing
their virginity, masturbation, homosexuality and cross-dressing?"
Thomasson asked.
The bill returns to the Senate for approval of revisions then goes
to the desk of Gov. Gray Davis, who has promised
to sign it.
Another opponent of the bill, the
Capitol Resource Institute
of Sacramento, says it "removes current requirements that students
learn of the emotional and psychological effects of premarital
intercourse, the financial obligations of conceiving a child, the
issue of statutory rape, and ways to fend off unwanted sexual
advances."
Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Los Angeles, the bill's sponsor, argues its
purpose is to streamline a process that now is a confusing patchwork
of ''opt-in'' or ''opt-out'' requirements depending on whether the
class is about sexually transmitted diseases, HIV education, sex
education or surveys related to sexual behavior, the San Jose Mercury
News reported.
A supporter of the bill, Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa
Barbara, told her colleagues if they have children they ''don't have a
clue what goes on in their teen-age worlds,'' the San Jose paper said.
''The best we can do in a world that encourages sexuality is to
make sure they get the best possible information," Jackson said.
But an opponent, Assembly member Jay La Suer, R-La Mesa, insisted
requiring parents to opt out "is a real clever way of saying it's
better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission."
"Why don't the parents have to opt in?" he asked in a speech on the
Assembly floor. "Because it makes it tougher for these people at the
schools to ask these questions that pry into your family life."
Thomasson argues current law protects parental rights by requiring
written permission before any sex tests, questionnaires, surveys or
examinations of their children.
"Mere notification is no substitute for asking parental
permission," said Thomasson. "This bill utterly disrespects parents as
it blindly pushes sex surveys upon schoolchildren statewide. The
attack on parenthood stinks to high heaven."
Steve Samuelian, R-Fresno, said: "I would challenge the members of
this legislature, based on the number of e-mails and faxes and calls
I've received in my office opposing this bill, to go back to your
districts and talk to your constituents. If you really believe the
average California parent supports this, you're in for a surprise.
They don't."
Assemblyman Rick Keene, R-Chico, believes the bill would usher
children into more sexual activity.
“It now assigns the same value to a 'committed relationship' as
well as marriage," Keene told his colleagues.
Keene said he believed the term "committed relationship" is
"understood by children to say as long as you're committed to your
boyfriend or your girlfriend right now it's OK to get involved in
sexual activity. That sends the wrong message to our children."
Thomasson's group noted a "Heterosexuality Questionnaire"
distributed by the Gay, Lesbian and
Straight Teachers Network can be given to California public school
children. Some of the questions are:
