What a night in Colts Neck! Speakers were restricted to 2-minute testimonies and public comment was limited to 90 minutes (though the Board president did increase this predefined cutoff to 120 minutes). The room was packed predominantly with well-organized out of town Left Wing activists trampling on the rights of parents. During my brief public comments, I said, “The State, and this school board, is supposed to protect children from predators, not from parents.” I was vehemently booed by the majority of the crowd!
Yes! Did you catch that? These activists strongly and vocally disagreed with my statement. In their minds, parents are the problem – not predators. Who responds like that?
However, parents would not be outdone. Brave moms, dads, and grandparents approached the microphone, despite the intimidating and hostile atmosphere set in motion by these activists. These concerned parents shared their heart for their children and pleaded with the Board of Education to follow through on this final vote to inform parents of children in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade of a child’s asserted gender identity – if the student request a name or pronoun change.
Incredibly young children at 6,7, and 8 years of age desperately need their parents involved in their mental, emotional and social development. But Attorney General (AG) Matt Platkin and Governor Phil Murphy have denied parents access to this medical information. The AG has filed civil rights violations against four other school boards who support parental notification and involvement. Just one day before the Colts Neck meeting, the AG released a threatening statement targeting school boards who favor parental rights. In his mind, children are property of the State, and do not belong to moms and dads.
That is why I told the media and Board of Education in my comments, “For (AG) Matt Platkin to tell school boards to keep parents in the dark, to lie to parents, and to view parents as the problem is grossly irresponsible and a serious violation of parental rights.”
In the end, a school board member put forth a motion to table the policy vote of informing parents until the cases involving other schools by the Attorney General are resolved. Three conservative members of the BOE voted No on tabling the motion. They wanted a full vote on this policy to inform parents. However, the majority, 6-3 decided to table the vote and allow the Attorney General to further bully and intimidate more boards of education.
Three of these six board members are up for re-election this fall. Elections matter! We are already working with Colts Neck parents and community leaders to field and train a winning slate of candidates.
Let’s continue to stand firm and faithful. For that is our calling.
Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy
P.S. Your prayer and contributions are vital in allowing us to continue to speak with clarity and charity to the Governor and Attorney General on these and other issues important to NJ families. Please partner with us in this fight.
