School districts do not want parents to know their rights, especially the right to opt children out of state testing, vaccinations, and gender theory curriculum. They don’t willingly disclose these rights, and when parents try to exercise them, the districts often create obstacles, requiring them to jump through hoops.
While I was serving on a local school board, a parent contacted me. She submitted a written request to opt her children out of any Social Emotional Learning (SEL) or second-step education, gender orientation, or gender affirmation teaching, as well as all school surveys. She clarified, “I do not consent for any data to be collected from or about my children for any program related to behavior or mental health.” Additionally, she explicitly stated, “Please do not talk to my child about their vaccination status at any time. UPSD does not have my permission to perform any physical exams or vaccinations on my child.”
PA school board policies use a predetermined numbering system that is consistent across all districts. If you have the policy number, you can search and find similar policies from other districts in the state. The Pennsylvania School Board Association (PSBA) plays a role in this by providing standardized policies, and most of the 500 PA school districts are members of PSBA. School administrators sometimes use policy as an excuse, claiming they are merely following it. But the school board directors didn’t create these policies; some may not even thoroughly read them before approval. Yet, when the staff chooses not to follow a policy, they simply ignore it. In this context, policy 105.2 has been in place since 2005.
School Board Policy 105.2 recognizes that parents have the right to excuse their children from certain instruction conflicting with their ‘religious beliefs.’ Initially presented to the school board to allow students to avoid activities harming animals. Now it’s used as an obstacle for parents seeking to opt their children out of the clown world curriculum.
The standard PSBA 105.2 policy states “The District shall excuse any student from specific instruction, subject to the following conditions:
- To assist the School District in ensuring that the student is excused from the correct specific instruction, the request must be made in writing and must detail the specific instruction from which the student is to be excused.
- We can all agree the parents’ email was specific enough.
- The written request to be excused shall be sent by the parent/guardian or student to the building principal.
- It shall NOT be the responsibility of the district or any of its employees to ensure that the student exercises his/her (only two pronouns!) right to be excused in accordance with a parental request. It shall be the responsibility of the student to request permission to leave class when the specific instruction objected to is presented. When the student seeks to be excused, the teacher shall excuse the student if the teacher or principal has a copy of the written request, and the written request adequately describes the specific instruction.
- Two of the children are in elementary school (K-3rd grade). I don’t see them requesting to be excused, do you? Even high school students may lack the courage to excuse themselves due to peer pressure.
- The written request must contain a statement that the specific instruction described conflicts with the religious beliefs of the student or of the parents/guardians.
- Where is this a law? The students are not the district’s children; they are the parents’ children. If the instruction conflicts with parental values and morals, the parent has the right to protect their children’s innocence. No justification for a religious belief is needed. This policy is not a law; it’s a school policy that the district can choose to follow or ignore.
- The parent/guardian and/or student may request suggested replacement educational activities. The only permissible educational activity for this purpose shall be replacement instruction that is consistent with the learning objectives set for the course and does not require the provision of any extra resources by the district.
- Now, the parent must locate suitable district-approved replacement educational activities. It seems like another obstacle.
- The building principal shall determine where the student shall report during the time the student is excused.
- Isolated from other students, made to feel ‘different,’ ‘odd,’ ‘special,’ and discriminated against—this is a subtle form of child intimidation.
- All students excused from specific instruction shall be required to achieve the academic standards established by the district as necessary for graduation.
- There’s the threat. Do it our way or your child won’t graduate.
The email reply to the parent from the district goes on to say:
“The emails provided to the district, satisfy the second guideline; however, the district will need additional information from you in order to meet guidelines 1 and 3. If you are in need of reviewing curricular materials please review policy 105.1 which provides you with the steps to review the curriculum, which may be necessary to complete the aforementioned guidelines contained within policy 105.2. Upon notification of the request for your review, the district will work with you to coordinate a date, time, and location for the review to occur.”
Surprise! Another roadblock for parents to navigate.
As it relates to surveys, please ensure that when the district sends out parent consent for participation in surveys, you complete those to document your objection. The principals will note your objection to your children’s participation in any district survey. – Interestingly, the district claims they send out parent consent forms, yet the parent with five children in the district from K through 10th grade has NEVER seen one. They don’t send an email; they don’t communicate it at all to the parents. When the parents question it, they claim there was a form sent home and blame the children for not giving the form to the parent. — As a parent, ask to see the consent forms. Ask the dates of when the surveys are to be given. Talk to your children and tell them not to complete ANY surveys even if pressured to do so by the teachers. Above all, have your children notify you when they are asked to complete a survey of any kind.
The letter goes on to throw more roadblocks in the form of school policy at the parent:
As for physicals, the district operates in accordance with school Policy 209 Health Examinations/Screenings. Please take note of the prescribed guidelines within the policy:
- A private health and/or dental examination conducted at the parents’/guardians’ request and expense shall be accepted in lieu of the school examination. The district shall accept reports of privately conducted physical and dental examinations completed within one (1) year prior to a student’s entry into the grade where an exam is required.
- The school nurse or medical technician shall administer to each student vision tests, hearing tests, tuberculosis tests, other tests deemed advisable, and height and weight measurements, at intervals established by the district. Height and weight measurements shall be used to calculate the student’s weight-for-height ratio. I am clarifying that these are what you are referencing.
- A student who presents a statement signed by the parent/guardian that a medical examination is contrary to his/her religious beliefs shall be examined only when the Secretary of Health determines that the student presents a substantial menace to the health of others.
- Once again, with the “religious beliefs.” The district isn’t raising your children. Why isn’t this a ‘opt-in’ health screening? What relevance do these screenings have to the child’s education? What’s the educational value? Why should parents need to justify their objections? The student is their child, not the district’s child.
In alignment with this policy, school nurses will be informed of your objection to school-based examinations and screenings. If you are securing a physical from a private provider, that may be submitted in lieu of an examination. Again, whose children are we talking about?
And yet, another roadblock, um, I mean policy.
Related to your vaccination concern. The UPSD does not provide vaccinations (yet they held TWO covid vaccine clinics last year). Additionally, per the law and in accordance with Policy 203 Immunizations and Communicable Diseases, “A student shall be exempt from immunization requirements whose parent/guardian objects in writing to such immunization on religious grounds or whose physician certifies that the student’s physical condition contraindicates immunization.”
However, PA State law – § 23.84. Exemption from immunization.
(a) Medical exemption. Children need not be immunized if a physician or the physician’s designee provides a written statement that immunization may be detrimental to the health of the child. When the physician determines that immunization is no longer detrimental to the health of the child, the child shall be immunized according to this subchapter.
(b) Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian, or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or based on a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.
You do NOT need to prove you are religious to exempt the children from immunizations. You just need to provide your objection in writing. The district may even have an exemption form. Ask for it.
Parents are expected to accept the district’s rules just because it’s ‘policy.’ It’s crucial for parents to push back. The districts attempt to conceal their agenda by making the minor child inform the teacher when they present material objected to by the parent. Keep in mind, two of her children are in kindergarten and first grade.
This school year, parents need to stand against the clown world curriculum. To comply with policies, parents should insist that teachers provide the annual “Pandora’s Box” teaching plan ahead of the school year (or marking period). This way, parents can arrange which days their child will not attend and avoid subscribing to this indoctrination.
The districts set the table, and parents need to bring their place settings into an environment where their child will be educated. Districts are pushing parents away and shouldn’t be surprised if parents seek alternative educational settings to prepare their children for standardized testing or life in general. They are indoctrinating our children while using our tax dollars to oppose parental values. They must understand that our children are not THEIR children, period.
They are pushing against the will of the parents and using school policy to slap the parents into compliance. Unify and don’t comply.
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