Shawn Hyland, Director of Advocacy for the Family Policy Alliance of NJ, shared important, eye-opening information about public policies and their impact on religious and parental rights for students in New Jersey public schools to over 70 people who attended a presentation at Atlantic Christian School on March 5.
Hyland discussed the new law signed by Governor Phil Murphy in February 2019 that mandates public schools begin incorporating LGBTQ curriculum in this coming school year. He noted that private schools like ACS are not impacted by the legislation. He said New Jersey’s law is the only one in the U.S. that requires an interdisciplinary, cross-curriculum approach to presenting the contributions of members of the LGBTQ community to society, unlike laws in other states that only include this instruction in social studies/history classes. He said that no state funds have been allocated for public schools to implement the curriculum and that school districts are awaiting guidelines from the NJ Department of Education.
Hyland also provided information on new proposed bills in the New Jersey Assembly that involve parental rights and the education their children are receiving in public schools. The bills discussed included:
- Assembly bill A-3373, which would lower the age of consent from 16 to 13 years old for students in public schools regarding gender dysphoria and parental notification.
- Assembly bill A-3000, which states that if a public school is teaching materials that a parent considers harmful to their child, then that family should be given a voucher to go to a private school.
- “The Protecting Parental Involvement in Curriculum Act,” which is awaiting a bill number, would expand the current state opt-out law to allow parents to opt their child out of public school lessons if they object to material or activities because they question, violate, or conflict with their family’s beliefs or practices regarding sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, conscience, ethics, morality, or religion.
Hyland said the Alliance is involved in raising awareness about these issues and encouraged the evangelical Christian community to get involved in the public square by signing petitions, attending local school board meetings, running for positions on the school board, and contacting state legislators and the Education Committees in the Senate and Assembly by phone and mail.
“We need to tell the state — we want our children back,” Hyland said. “We need prayer and we need advocates to go to speak to those in authority. ” A question-and-answer period followed the presentation, with engagement from teachers, pastors, students, and parents in the audience.
The Alliance represents 1,500 churches and pastors across New Jersey. Hyland said the Alliance’s vision is to see a New Jersey where God is honored, religious liberty flourishes, life is cherished, and families thrive. To obtain additional information or to learn about ways to get involved, go to: FamilyPolicyAlliance.com/NewJersey.