The following contribution is from John Migueis – A Resident of Berkeley Heights with Two Children in our Public Schools
I want to reiterate my full support for groups and programs that help all students, including those who identify as LGTBQIA.
I also support a Board of Education that applies due diligence in ensuring that this club meets the highest standards for our schools.
We should encourage our BOE to seek information from School Psychologists and Health professionals on groups that connect to sexuality or sexual identity to make informed decisions that benefit the very groups charged with helping our students. I am at a loss to understand how wanting the perspective of trained professionals in connection to this programming turns into a narrative that the Board of Education opposes supporting LGBTQIA Students.
We should encourage the Board of Education to ensure that all programming in schools follows the proper course of approval so that the community has confidence that the appropriate oversight was applied and that LGBTQIA Students and their families have confidence that programming is a proper response to a real need.
If, for whatever reason, the Board of Education wants a more robust description of activities in service to LGBTQIA Students to ensure the club’s activities meet the needs, this should be, again, celebrated, not ridiculed.
Given that the program connects to themes some parents may have questions about, and as the BOE exists to represent all viewpoints in a community, asking about the age appropriateness of the activities connected to any group is wholly appropriate.
The steps taken by the Board of Education are reasonable thus far. We should applaud elected representatives who choose substance over optics. Supporting LGTBQIA Students means ensuring those seeking approval for programs do their job. The Board of Education is not a rubber stamp—it is an oversight body.
It would have been nice to see this oversight over the extraordinary amount of money we spend on security and athletics as our Math and Science programs struggle – but that’s another LTE.
The Prism Club (I think) will have another opportunity to provide information to the BOE before the school year starts. During that time, the BOE can work with health professionals in our schools to better understand and evaluate the program.
The prior vote does not eliminate the group (which will continue to run) or prevent it from receiving funding in the future.
It can request a stipend again in August. I hope it does, and I hope it is something our entire community will support.
There is a petition circulating asking the community to support the Prism Club. Community input is critical to helping the BOE understand community sentiment. We should make petitions a standard in program approval to ensure the community is aware and has had the opportunity to discuss the program. I encourage you to sign this petition if you support Prism or write the BOE an email expressing your support.
Originally Submitted to TapInto
