Please Email Fairfax County Public Schools Board Members Immediately to Request Support for Deferring FLE Vote!!

Dear Friends,

Mrs. Patty Reed of the FCPS school board communicated to me on Tuesday, June 23 that she plans to make a motion at the Thursday, June 25 board meeting to defer a vote on the proposed Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum. In her words, a deferral "would allow the public and Board members ample time to analyze and discuss these important issues prior to a vote."

A deferral gives parents and citizens additional time to work together to inform themselves and others and to be heard and influence the process, and may also compel the FCPS board to provide more accurate and comprehensive information regarding the proposed changes.

PLEASE join us in sending an email to each member of the board ASAP (in any event, before the June 25 board meeting) respectfully urging them to support the planned motion to defer.

And then, PLEASE encourage family, friends, and other acquaintances to do the same ASAP.

Here is the text of the email we plan to send (you are welcome to copy, paste, and modify as you see fit):

Dear Mr./Ms. [LAST NAME HERE],

As concerned parents and Fairfax County residents, we express appreciation for your tireless service on our and our children's behalf. You truly represent the last line of defense in protecting children and parents with regard to the instruction given in FCPS schools.

It is with that in mind that we respectfully urge you to support the motion that we understand Mrs. Reed intends to offer at the June 25 board meeting to defer a vote on proposed Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum changes to allow the public and Board members ample time to analyze and discuss these important issues prior to a vote.

It is critical to defer the vote on FLE changes until accurate information regarding the changes' basis can be disseminated and a more thorough and proper opportunity for parent and citizen discussion can take place. As one example, the FLE Curriculum Advisory Committee has erroneously claimed that its proposals for transferring FLE lesson objectives (with parental opt-outs) to health education (with no opt-outs) are based on newly-revised Virginia Department of Education health learning standards, in regard to at least eight of these lesson objectives (K.1, K.2, 1.1, 1.2, 5.2 [Emotional & Social Health], 7.3 [E&SH], 8.7 [E&SH], 9.1 [E&SH] found at this link: http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/9XLNTA5E103E/$file/Revised%20FLECAC%20Annual%20Report%202014-2015.pdf). We know that you would not want a vote to take place until you can ensure that the public has sufficient time to respond to correct, clear, and comprehensive information.

If you were willing to take the time over a period of so many years to allow the public to fully air its concerns regarding soon-to-be implemented changes in school start times, isn't it so much more important that you work to ensure that citizens are fully aware and have outlets to be heard on a topic so momentous for how young people learn about critical family-related matters?

One of us plans to attend the board meeting in support of a deferral, and we are prepared to continue working with other concerned citizens to preserve fundamental parental and student rights. We are confident that you and your board colleagues will act as duty and conscience dictate. So many of us count on you to do so.

We greatly appreciate your attention to this note, and wish you the very best as you consider your position on this very important topic.

Sincere regards,

[OUR NAMES]