Statement from Bishop Burbidge on Fairfax County School Board
Family Life Education Curriculum Vote

June 15, 2018

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Diocese of Arlington, has made the following statement after the vote of the Fairfax County School Board to accept certain changes to its Family Life Education curriculum:

“While I am pleased that the Fairfax County School Board has voted to retain clergy among the list of people our youth ought to consider trusted adults, I am nevertheless disappointed to see the Board has chosen ideology over biology in introducing such terms as ‘sex assigned at birth’ in place of ‘biological sex’ in the schools’ Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum.  It is also distressing to see students receiving information about the  drug regimen PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) while at the same time not learning that abstinence is the only 100% effective way of preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).  As a community committed to proclaiming the truth about human life, dignity and sexuality, the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Arlington will continue its efforts to educate the public regarding the content of the FLE curriculum and encourage parents to exercise their God-given right to ‘opt-out’ their children from those lessons that distort the truth and are morally offensive.”