Maud Maron: Radicalized Sex-Ed: A Telling Tale of How NYC Educrats Shut Out Parents, Even on Community Education Councils

I recently listened to our school’s sex educator proudly exclaim that she teaches her entire puberty course without saying “boy or girl, man or woman once” Because she was so committed to “inclusivity.” I was astonished.

This is how the courses would be taught, and no one, not even members of the Community Education Council, had ever told parents. But it’s all-too-typical of how the Department of Education treats these councils. Parents.

In the same elementary school, five years ago, the same educator spoke to my eldest children about puberty. She explained to the boys and girls what to expect as they grow up, and what to expect on their journey into womanhood.

She did this in sex-segregated classrooms, because all the adults, including her, agreed 9- and 10-year-olds were most comfortable learning about the soon-to-happen changes to their bodies in sex-specific groups, where they’d be more likely to ask questions.

In fact, the DOE’s parent coordinator wrote fifth-grade parents in 2019. “two [of four classes] will be with students separated by gender. This is more comfortable for the boys and girls when discussing certain topics and issues.” (Emphasis added.)

Yet I was now listening to a parents-only Zoom presentation about the upcoming course — taught by the same sex educator at the same school — and the changes from just a few years ago made it unrecognizable.  

For sex-ed classes, boys and girls no longer have to be separated. Instead, they all attend the class together. The educator also explained to parents that she adheres to DOE guidelines on subject matter. “It is so important to them that we are discussing gender identity and sex assigned at birth at every opportunity so that no kid ever feels othered.”

She provided a gift for her parents. “Gender & Sexuality Glossary for Parents & Caregivers,” Which word is used? “gender” 27 times. It’s never defined except to say that it has been. “gender binary” It is “the cultural concept that male (masculine) and female (feminine) are the only genders.”

Yet “gender-fluid” is defined; it’s a person who “identifies with multiple genders.” As is “gender identity”: “a person’s internal sense of their gender — who they are in their heart and mind relating to their gender.”

How did a normal, rational puberty program become a radical session of gender-ideology training? I knew one thing for certain: Kids are the losers.

My daughter loved this puberty-education program in 2019, which she had just completed. For half of her sessions, she was placed in a girl-only classroom. The girls were allowed to ask questions and they did. Recently, I asked her if any of the girls would have asked questions if there had been boys present. “I doubt it,” She replied.

Bizarrely, DOE’s sex-segregation rules Only apply for health classes. My son’s high school currently offers a financial literacy club open only to girls and non-binary students. Boys are not eligible to apply.

Nobody has ever suggested that kids have changed. Or that girls now feel comfortable asking about tampons or bras in front of boys, or that boys won’t be embarrassed hearing about erections in front of girls.

The NYC DOE Guidelines for Gender They would shock parents if they found out about them. Parents were not allowed to comment on the Gender Guidelines despite having one of the largest and most expensive elected parent-leader systems in America. This allows boys who identify themselves as girls full and compulsory access to girls’ bathrooms and prevents educators from saying things like “awww!” “boy’s penis.”

The guidelines were created by DOE’s first “LGBTQ liaison,” Jared Fox is an Iowan politician who has no children and seems to not need to consult parents in the city before changing the way our kids are educated. 

Now, DOE holds biannual elections to its Community Education Councils. It does a lot of lip service to “elevating parent voice” This agency spends millions to promote these elections in many languages. Parents shouldn’t have to run away from their families and exert influence over school policy when the agency makes huge changes like the Gender Guidelines. But the parent leaders are not informed about the changes.

I can’t say I’d be surprised by low interest in these elections. I served as president of Manhattan’s largest school district’s Community Education Council, 2017-2021. I was also a member of my kids’ elementary School Leadership Team, 2016-2022. Despite both positions overlapping with the development of the Gender Guidelines, nEver once did anyone from DOE, my school principal or  district superintendent ever Let us know what you think about these guidelines and get feedback from your parents.

DOE must be willing to work with parents to help them run for office.

Maud Maron is a parent to four children who attend public-schools and was the former president, Community Education Council District 2.