Virginia school board approves co-ed sex classes despite public opposition

Over parents’ objections Fairfax County Public Schools is planning for sex education to be co-ed in upper elementary and middle-school classes starting this fall.

The Virginia school district is piloting the program in up to 14 schools, and will include what it calls two “age-appropriate” combined lessons. The remaining lessons will be divided by gender.

The plan for co-ed instruction was proposed last year by the district’s family life education curriculum advisory committee, but was not approved by the school board until last month.

Surveys taken this year show the plan is unpopular among about 85% of parents. Fairfax County mother Stephanie Lundquist-Arora voiced her concerns about the lack of regard for parents’ opinions to FOX5 News.

“When you get a survey from the community that shows you with evidence – with feedback – we don’t want this, why would … the school district say, ‘Well, we know you don’t want it but we’re going to include it anyways’?”

School board member Melanie Maren claims the survey results are not trustworthy, noting the survey had only 2,539 respondents, and arguing that’s only a fraction of parents in a school system with 183,000 students. In addition, the survey had no method of ensuring respondents were parents and were submitting only one response.

Still, at the June school board meeting in which the vote was held, parents and community members objected to the plan.

One such parent, Darcy Healy, said she felt the vote was “sneaky,” and “unbecoming of real leadership” considering it took place over the summer and on the evening of the presidential debate. Healy called for more debate over the subject. 

“This is an important topic. Show us that you want it to be important,” she told the board. 

Nevertheless, the board voted unanimously to proceed and the plan was implemented. 

Parents have the option to opt out of the gender-combined instruction or the family life education program entirely. Opt-out forms are sent home to parents and are available online throughout the school year. Additionally, parents can view the family life education curriculum and objectives here.