A teacher in a Newton, Mass., elementary school has come under fire from parents for telling her third-grade class that transgenderism is a viable lifestyle choice for some people.
The teacher’s comments came after one student stood up in class and said that
"some men like to become women."
Parents have been understandably upset with the teacher and the school. Tom Mountain, a columnist with the Newton Tab, said the teacher’s statement had a harmful effect on the kids.
"Parents were remarking that (their children) had nightmares at night, they couldn’t sleep," he told Family News in Focus. "One little girl told her mother that she was scared that her little sister could turn into a boy. Other kids expressed to the parents that their daddies could become women and they still want to keep their daddies."
But Newton educators dismissed the concerns and explained that the class discussion was a "teachable moment," meaning they don’t have to inform parents or apologize for covering such disturbing topics. Brian Camenker, president of Mass Resistance, said some parents are pulling their kids out of school because of the mindset that what students learn in the classroom is none of mom’s or dad’s business.
"That attitude is just horrific," he said. "I’m sure it has a lot to do with the gay marriage issue going on in Massachusetts -- and we’ve seen it around the state -- but it’s getting worse."
One parent is suing Newton schools over its pro-homosexual curriculum. But Camenker said such incidents will remain confined to his state.
"People around the country need to understand that this is going to happen to them," he explained. "It’s not going to stop in Massachusetts --and they need to start getting active."
