Posted by The upcoming election on November 3rd is very important – clearly, I don’t have to tell you that. But there’s something on the ballot next month that is more important, with bigger long-term ramifications than the Presidential matchup of Trump vs. Biden.
This issue is more important than the Governor race (even though you already know what I think of Inslee). Yes, it’s even more important than the Senate races, House races, or even local levies.
I’m talking about Washington Referendum 90.
What’s up with Referendum 90?
The bill requires mandatory sex ed in public school starting at Kindergarten. The curriculum must come from the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, which was created with a committee that included no parents.
As a parent, frankly, I’m horrified.
Sex education conversations should start at home, led by parents, at a time they think is appropriate. And let me tell you, as a parent, my Kindergartner is NOT ready for sex ed. We certainly have safety and even body part conversations. But they are the right conversations at the right time for my kids, and doesn’t look anything like what the state would mandate.
This is yet another example of nanny-state Washington telling dictating what sex ed conversations are appropriate for a Kindergartner. Frankly, I can do a lot better than the state. The lack of control is a big issue with this bill. The curriculum at local schools should be determined LOCALLY. There is way too much control being exerted at the federal and state levels. How did “No Child Left Behind” work out for everyone?
Let us decide what’s right for our kids. Don’t decide for us.
As for the actual curriculum? It’s horrifying. I’ll link to some videos and resources, however, I don’t even feel comfortable writing curriculum specifics on this blog. It’s too graphic and disturbing.
- News story and video walkthru
- Example Kindergarten – 4th-grade curriculum. I am appalled by the Kindergarten curriculum, and I certainly wouldn’t want to introduce the idea of gender dysphoria to a first grader.
- Example 5th grade – 8th-grade curriculum: Check out that 7th-grade lesson. Absolute lunacy.
Big implications
As I stated in the intro, this has huge implications. This will completely change the next generation, how they learn, grow, and develop. What they think is right and wrong. We are shaping people. The importance cannot be understated.
Please give all consideration to voting no on Referendum-90.
FAQ: What is a referendum?
In Washington, the referendum process allows citizens to petition to have laws passed by the legislature put on the ballot before it becomes law. To qualify, petitioners must gather signatures from 4% of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election, or about 120,000 signatures from registered Washington voters. It’s a pretty high bar. Of the 38 times it’s happened in Washington, the law has been repealed 31 times (82%)
And considering, in the age of COVID, getting 120,000 signatures is a monumental effort.
Washington Referendum-90 allows the voters to decide if Washington State Legislature Bill ESSB 5395 becomes law. ESSB 5395 is the law that enacts new sex education in schools. A vote FOR the referendum is a vote for ESSB 5395, and with a majority, it would become law. A vote AGAINST R-90 would strike down ESSB 5395 and it would not become law.