CCS board inching toward health standards statement

While their action has been a lot slower than I’d guess most Chase County School constituents want, the CCS board of education finally appears to be moving toward approval of a resolution against the proposed State Health Standards for schools. A vote on the resolution will be on the November meeting agenda.
    The issue has been in front of them since April, when the light was shone on what the state board of education was proposing. And it was not good, as it conflicted with and flew right in the face of what parents believe THEIR children should be taught.
    For instance, the original health standards suggested teaching  kindergartners about “cohabitating” and same-gender families. First graders were to learn about gender identity and gender stereotypes, while older kids were to be taught about anal, oral and vaginal sex.
        A Saturday Omaha World-Herald story says opponents contend state education department employees were dismissive of conservative viewpoints, even rejecting a suggestion to create standards that emphasized abstinence. They declined offers from the Nebraska Catholic Conference, as an example, to give input before they released the first draft.
        Isn’t it interesting that the one, true 100% effective means of preventing a pregnancy before the parents are married and ready—abstinence—was not considered “healthy” enough to be prominent in the state’s health standards?
    That same World-Herald story noted a western Nebraska principal who volunteered to be part of the educators writing the proposed health standards expressed concern about the content early on. The response? He was told schools didn’t have to adopt them. That is certainly true, as exhibited by CCS board action last month when they did not list “health standards” as standards from the state they will use.
    However, down the road, how much state money could be tied to a school’s use of the standards? If a school hasn’t adopted the health standards (if they ever are put in place) what will be held back from that school?
    After the past six months of public comment—reports say 90% have been against the health proposals— the state board of education has taken a pause on their development. However, they can come up at anytime at a meeting down the road, so all of us must continue to be watchful.
    One good development recently was the resignation of state board member Patricia Timm in District 5 (southeast part of state). That now gives Gov. Pete Ricketts the opportunity to appoint someone who better represents the people, and the children, of Nebraska.
    The only better development would be resignations from the rest of the board members.