What is "objectionable" to me, may not be to you.
Parental rights goes both ways!
What is objectionable?
As a parent, I have the right to raise my child in the manner that is consistent with morals, and values taught in the home. Many parents desire to introduce faith as a part of raising a child. Some parents avoid matters of faith or possibly teach against it. In either case, the parent has the right to protect their children from objectionable materials in the Public School setting. If I have chosen to teach my child to be sexually pure until marriage, then my child should not have access to, or be required to participate in instruction, media, or materials that would undermine my rights as a parent.
School Libraries
Do you know what books are available to your child through the school library? Do you know what books are required to be read or referenced as a part of an assignment? An investigation by Florida Citizens Alliance uncovered many books that are in the Public School's Library that are in violation of existing anti pornography laws. According to FLCA, "Almost all of these pre K-12 novels (listed in the report) violate statutes with sexually explicit content... they certainly violate common decency for age appropriate material and undermine Judeo-Christian and traditional family values." Many of the books in the school's library contain words that would not be allowed in the public square. If a TV reporter were doing a story on this material, he or she would be prohibited from sharing the actual quotes due to the graphic nature of the books. If you or I read these publications out loud to children in public we could be arrested and charged with a 3rd degree felony (in the State of Florida). Some would argue for the literary value of these works and in some cases maybe a case could be made for that view. At Operation Millstone we are not interested in "Book Banning", we just want these objectionable materials to be kept out of the hands of our children unless we specifically authorize our parental rights.
In the classroom
Objectionable material may be found in a variety of places in the school system. For example in Oregon objectionable materials have been found in civics, economics, geography, and history. Other programs may include antibullying, diversity training, teen pregnancy prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, and comprehensive health education. Objectionable material may be found even in science, history, and teaching on world religions. Not all objectionable material is sexual in nature. Some attack the core of a persons faith and beliefs about marriage, abortion, and purity. While many school districts allow a parent to "opt out" of sex education/health, many parents are not aware of what is being presented, and just what is included. In addition, it is very difficult to know just where and when these objectionable materials will be presented to the student. If your child attends a public school, there is no substitute for good communications between your child and your child's teachers. If you find something that is objectionable please let us know and, more importantly let your school know how you feel about it! As a parent you have the right to raise your own children according to your own standards.