A call to stand against some school ‘progress’

To the Editor We’d like to believe that governmental bodies all the way from our local school boards to the looming federal level have the best interests of the people in mind. In some cases, they do. In some cases, the intent is good but the execution gets botched. Common is this result when many minds are contributing to one end.

Pennsylvania is beginning to tackle one of these issues, and local school boards are faced with a tough question. Progressive legislation has been introduced that would allow people to use male/female facilities in places of public use based on the gender that they identify with. This is the polite way of saying that the legislation will allow girls and boys to use any locker room or bathroom that they choose. And it’s already happening.

In Boyertown Pennsylvania, a boy complained because a girl, in the boy’s locker, room was getting changed next to him. This made the boy uncomfortable, and when he brought it to the attention of adults, he learned that nothing could be done. It’s the school’s policy to allow the girl to use the boy’s locker room.

What did this experience do to contribute to the boy’s education in the core languages of math, history and science? Well, it did none of those things. In fact, it provided a distraction on more levels than can be mentioned in this short article, but his quality of education was diminished that day.

In an age of metal detectors, bullying, and teen pressures real and imagined, do we need to be introducing this progressive dynamic? We most certainly do not. Schools serve such an important purpose in the lives of our students and it requires great focus on not just the core subjects but also on values and safety. The goal is to offer every student every opportunity to grab onto as much knowledge as possible so that they can place well in their continuing education and in the work place.

I invite local school boards to consider this final point as they weigh this issue.

Your schools are staples in your communities, and you’ve served them well, with limited resources and sometimes limited input from your parents and alumni. You’ve had an entering and a graduating class every year of your existence, and you’ve done it without this kind of progressive policy.

I suggest you continue to educate, continue to develop your curriculum of material to meet changing sciences and industries, and I suggest that you continue to perfect your art and serve your students excellently. Litigation could come from choosing either path, accepting the policy or rejecting it. If litigation is to come, let it come. You’ll at least know that you’re doing your jobs well and that you have an excellent, safe, and morally grounded district standing behind you.

“Your schools are staples in your communities, and you’ve served them well, with limited resources and sometimes limited input from your parents and alumni.” — John Haenn