Release Date: July 23, 2022
Parents and guardians across America are actively taking steps toward regaining their Rights in Education, in a move to protect their children from age-inappropriate and ideologically charged curricula.
At CCDF-USA, it is our duty to practice oversight of our local education system and to ensure the accountability of elected officials that make critical decisions affecting minor children. After a thorough review of two Human Reproduction & Disease Education textbooks that were to be adopted for use in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, we found that significant portions of the material are not age-appropriate, usurp parental rights, and violate Florida state law. In addition, CCDF-USA closely monitored the Instructional Materials Review Committee process that resulted in the recommendation of these books to the School Board, as well as the subsequent School Board book adoption process; and we found the entire process to be questionable and veiled, which did not comply with Florida statute, and therefore did not enable sufficient parental and community involvement.
For these reasons, CCDF-USA facilitated a process for parents and community members to officially voice their opposition to these books and object to their adoption. This process along with CCDF-USA’s work to inform our School Board members of the legal implications of proceeding with the adoption of these books, resulted in a 5-4 majority vote by the Miami-Dade County School Board to rescind their adoption of the books and start the entire process anew. CCDF-USA and many Miami-Dade citizens are relieved and encouraged by this decision as a step towards an improved Instructional Materials selection and adoption process with an emphasis on parental and community involvement, as well as a stronger focus on statutory compliance.
We would like to emphasize that CCDF-USA and our communities are not by any means opposed to instructional materials on Human Reproduction & Disease Prevention education. We will continue to fulfill our duty to ensure instructional materials that are age-appropriate, scientifically factual and accurate, and that do not violate or usurp parental rights.
CCDF-USA invites parents, teachers, school board members, teachers’ unions, and concerned citizens to a dialogue about parental rights, oversight and accountability of school district leadership and operations, and how to maintain age appropriate Health Education that is aligned with the Florida Department of Education requirements, that will motivate and provide all students with knowledge and skills needed to be healthy, without exposing them to radical ideology and risky medical procedures that minors are not prepared to fully comprehend.
We intend on removing politics and radical ideology from our classrooms to ensure that all children continue to strive to reach their academic potential in a safe and healthy school environment.
In the meantime, stay tuned for additional information and updates from the team at CCDF-USA.