Atlanta mom freaks out after daughter taught about gay people
Daughter's health class asked her to correctly identify terms relating to sexuality and gender identity, to the horror of her mother
“Why are they teaching that in school? What does that have to do with life?”
—Octavia Parks, ranting to Fox 5 in Atlanta after her 12-year-old daughter was given homework on sexuality and gender identity from her health class at Lithonia Middle School.
The assignment contained ten questions asking the sixth graders to correctly identify certain terms, such as “gay,” “queer” and “transgender.”
“We’re talking about a sixth grader who still watches Nickelodeon. I’m not ready to explain what these words are nor what they mean,” Parks said.
She claims that she signed a consent form opting her daughter out of the health class in which the assignment was given. “We had a brief conversation and [the teacher] assured me that this sort of thing would not happen,” Parks added, “none the less it is happening.”
Another parent, Eva McClain, said: “If a kid wants to know about the gender or know about the sex preference it should come from the parents not from the school.”
DeKalb County School District said they had been made aware of the event, and would “investigate this event and take action, as appropriate, once that investigation is completed.
Parks, still appalled that her daughter be taught about LGBTQ people, is determined to punish the school for daring to educate its students.
“I will be removing her from that class,” Parks said, “and I’m also going to take it to the board of education to see what they have to say about it.”
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.