It’s that time of year again, when parents of school-aged kids everywhere are inundated with stacks of back-to-school paperwork in the form of handbooks, lunch menus, and of course, the school calendar. 

Did you know that, beyond the official school calendar approved by your school committee, there may be another “unofficial” school calendar influencing your child’s education?

GLSEN, the “Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network” is a national activist organization that works to insert LGBTQ ideology in the public school system through student activities like GSA clubs, professional development for staff, free resources and lessons, model policies recommended for school committees, and more. They also publish an annual “GLSEN School Year Calendar” for educators and students, encouraging the use of this calendar to schedule GSA meetings, lesson plans, student events, and workshops for staff. To see this year’s version on the GLSEN website, click here. 

MFI and Massachusetts Informed Parents are dedicated to helping parents safeguard their children from sexualization and indoctrination in MA public schools. One of our key strategies is parent education, as many parents may be unaware of how their children are exposed to harmful content. A few years ago, we recognized the need to inform parents about sexuality-related observances, like those promoted by GLSEN, that could appear in classrooms. In response, we created our own calendar to keep parents informed.

The Sex on the School Calendar 2024-2025 edition focuses on events and observances related to sexuality and gender identity that we believe are most likely to show up in MA schools. Please share this graphic widely. There likely won’t be any districts that implement all of these observances, but every district will probably do one or two (and some may do many or most of them). These sorts of observances are almost always done at the building level, so a school committee might not be aware of them. This is all the more reason why parents must be. 

We have seen many examples of these woke observances showing up in schools across MA. To see some examples, read our full report on the Massachusetts Informed Parents Substack.

What can parents do about these overt celebrations of queer theory masquerading as kindness and positive social action? Opting out of sex ed is an important first step. Parents can also consider these action items: 

• Email the school principal and ask if the school, or any club or student activity group, will be observing any of these days. If a response is not received, send a follow-up email and copy the superintendent. 
  
• Check out the school district’s social media accounts, emails, and newsletters from the previous year to see if any of these events were held. Sign up for all communications from the school for the new school year. Watch for email notifications and read them diligently. 
  
• Talk to your child in an age-appropriate way about special events that might be celebrated at school. Ask them to tell you about events they hear about. If your child mentions something that sounds concerning, contact the school for more details.
  
• If your child’s school plans to observe one of these days without offering an opt-out, you have several choices. Some parents choose to keep their child home that day, while others discuss the issue with their child beforehand, equipping them with tools to understand their family’s perspective. Older children may use the opportunity to respectfully express their views to teachers and classmates. Additionally, if the event is sponsored by a GSA, students might consider starting their own club, such as a Bible study or free speech group, to host alternative events.
  
• Spread the word to inform other parents about what’s happening. Attend school committee meetings together to make public comments or email your concerns to the School Committee—or better yet, do both! Even if immediate changes aren’t seen, raising public awareness fosters transparency and accountability. 
  
• Remember that your child has legal rights, including the right to free speech. If you feel your child’s rights have been violated at any time for speaking up about these events, or if they have been punished for not participating, contact the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center.
  
• Lastly, please stay connected with us. To stay informed about issues in MA public schools we invite you to join Massachusetts Informed Parents on Facebook and subscribe to the Substack. If you have any updates about your local school or questions about something happening in your district that concerns you email Jess Richardson, [email protected]. We value your involvement and look forward to keeping in touch.

Parents, we know it can feel overwhelming working to protect your children from harmful messages in school but don’t lose heart. Knowledge is power. Knowing that a problem exists is the first step in proactively safeguarding your children, and you’ve already got that covered by plugging into MFI and MIP. If you need help addressing an issue in your child’s school, let us know. Supporting parents is always on our calendar.

Please support MFI with a generous gift today so we can continue to protect parents’ and students’ rights in public schools.