Protect Fairfax County children from ideological falsehoods in family life curriculum

Send comments to oppose alarming changes to public school lessons

The Fairfax County School Board needs to hear from you before June 8. The Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee has recommended deeply disturbing changes to what public school students in the county are taught. The changes obfuscate the truth about human biology, sexuality and family life. Send your comments opposing these changes here: FLEcomments@fcps.edu

The School Board is considering:

Using the phrase “sex assigned at birth” instead of “biological sex” to teach children that biology has no impact on being male or female
Teaching students about pre-exposure prophylaxis, a drug regimen not approved by the FDA for use by children under 18. Also called PrEP, this regimen is designed for use by those who are engaged in sexual behaviors which put them at high risk of contracting HIV.
Removing “clergy” from a list of trusted adults with whom children should talk about their concerns regarding sex and sexuality
No longer teaching that abstinence is the only 100% effective method of preventing sexually transmitted infections or diseases

These recommendations are all available to review online. A PowerPoint presentation is also available.

Please take the crucial time to submit your comments on these recommendations to FLEcomments@fcps.edu. Find a suggested sample message below or use your own words.

Thank you for taking the time to address this important issue.

Please email your comments to FLEcomments@fcps.edu today!

----Message to FLEcomments@fcps.edu-----

Dear School Board,
I’m writing to oppose the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee's recommended changes to the FLE curriculum.
Many of the proposed changes in the Family Life Education are disturbing, ideologically driven and do not reflect the truth about biology, sexuality or family life. I urge you to reject these recommendations for the following reasons:

The term "sex assigned at birth" is ideological and does not reflect biological reality. Children should be taught what "sex" and "gender" are in Family Life Classes consistent with what they are taught in biology classes. Sex and gender are not "assigned at birth," but are determined biologically.
Teaching about pre-exposure prophylactics is not something that should be included in high school. These drugs are not approved for use by children by the FDA. Teaching about these drugs may not reduce the prevalence of HIV, but could have the opposite impact: it could expose students to a false sense of safety. Please don't include this instruction in the FLE curriculum.
Children should continue to be taught that they can go to clergy with questions they have about sex and sexuality. Clergy provide guidance and support to children facing all manner of concerns, and should be included in the FLE curriculum as a resource.
If students are taught about possible hormonal or medical interventions as part of a "gender transition," they must be taught about the risks and side effects involved in these procedures.
In any grade where the use of contraceptives is taught students should also learn the risks and side effects that come with using contraceptives.
I object to the removal of language about abstinence being the only 100% effective method of preventing transmission of sexually transmitted infections. The only sexual behavior which is 100% effective in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections is abstinence.

Thank you for your time serving on the Board of Education. I appreciate you considering these comments. I urge you to vote to protect children and teach them biological reality over ideology.

Sincerely,
[Insert Name of Constituent]

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The Virginia Catholic Conference is the public policy agency representing Virginia’s Catholic bishops and their two dioceses.