Bill Text: NJ ACR21 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

New Jersey Assembly Concurrent Resolution 21 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Opposes State Board of Education revised New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education on sex education adopted on June 3, 2020.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [ACR21 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-ACR21-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 21

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Assemblyman PARKER SPACE

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen McGuckin, Catalano, Assemblywoman Gove and Assemblyman Rumpf

SYNOPSIS

Opposes State Board of Education revised New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education on sex education adopted on June 3, 2020.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

A Concurrent Resolution opposing the State Board of Education revised New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education on sex education.

Whereas, Parents, as their child's first and most important teachers, work hard to instill values and beliefs that will guide their children throughout life; and

Whereas, Even after a child undertakes formal education outside of the home, parents continue to play a key role in the child's education, with the parents providing valuable support and guidance; and

Whereas, On June 3, 2020, the State Board of Education readopted the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education which include extensive changes to the standards regarding sex education; and

Whereas, The revised standards include certain controversial topics on various social issues that interfere with the right of parents to teach their own children about these sensitive matters in a manner that comports with their core family values and beliefs; and

Whereas, These revised standards further erode parental autonomy by promoting age-inappropriate sexual content which usurps a parent's ability to determine whether a child is emotionally and intellectually prepared for instruction in sex education; and

Whereas, The Department of Education's response to criticism of the standards is to note the availability of the opt-out provision, but the opt-out provision is not a sufficient protection to ensure that a student is not exposed inadvertently to graphic sexual lessons; and

Whereas, Any State policy governing instruction in sex education must promote parental autonomy and respect for family values and beliefs; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey opposes the State Board of Education's sex education standards included in the revised New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education due to the significant negative impact that these standards have on a parent's right to educate his child on sensitive sex education topics in a manner that comports with the family's core values and beliefs. The Legislature calls upon the State board to revise these standards.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the New Jersey Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

STATEMENT

This concurrent resolution opposes the State Board of Education revised New Jersey Student Leaning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education concerning sex education and calls upon the State board to revise these standards.

On June 3, 2020, the State Board of Education readopted the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education that contained significant changes regarding the standards for sex education, including the inclusion of certain controversial topics on various social issues. This concurrent resolution conveys the Legislature's objections to the new sex education standards due to the fact that they are both age-inappropriate and significantly interfere with and erode a parent's right to determine whether a child is emotionally and intellectually prepared for instruction in sex education and whether the instruction provided is appropriate and comports with core family values and beliefs.