{"id":38066,"date":"2013-02-27T14:18:45","date_gmt":"2013-02-27T20:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=38066"},"modified":"2013-04-01T15:27:16","modified_gmt":"2013-04-01T20:27:16","slug":"how-to-support-sb-521-put-sexual-education-back-into-parents-hands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/02\/how-to-support-sb-521-put-sexual-education-back-into-parents-hands\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Support SB 521: Put Sexual Education Back into Parents\u2019 Hands"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE<\/span><\/p>\n

The House hearing for HB 1057 will be on Tuesday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment of the House. This means it could be later than 2 pm. The hearing could go late in the evening.<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

After reading an article about new senate bill 521<\/a>, the\u00a0Texas Parental Control Accountability Act proposed by State Representative Jeff Leach<\/a> and supported by Texas Alliance for Life aimed at empowering families when it comes to human sexuality instruction in schools, I couldn\u2019t help but breathe a sigh of relief. But I also couldn\u2019t help but sigh in exasperation, too. While I am thrilled that such a bill has been proposed, part of me is disturbed that\u00a0it<\/b>\u00a0has come to this.<\/p>\n

What\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0it<\/b>?<\/p>\n

It is the proposal of essentially returning what belongs exclusively to families to begin with. Empowerment. Schools have veered so very far away from the basics \u2013 reading, writing, arithmetic \u2013 that they have been swimming in dangerously unchartered waters for a while now, trying desperately to dictate and define morality on behalf of parents and families. What was perceived to be a noble act by many \u2013 educating the children whose parents truly did\u00a0not<\/i>\u00a0care to take their parenting responsibility seriously \u2013 has escalated into a violation of boundaries of those parents who\u00a0do<\/b>\u00a0care about the welfare of their children. The actions of few irresponsible parents have prompted schools to make sweeping actions against an entire community, many of whom are parents who actually\u00a0do<\/b>\u00a0want to teach their own children about morality, right down to sex education.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t even an issue of religion, necessarily. I can easily remove the Catholic component and ask, who do you think teaches your children best? Who knows your children best? Who loves your children and hugs and kisses them each day? The answer should be a resounding \u201cI am!\u201d<\/p>\n

This bill represents more than just fighting against third parties trying to educate our children on {a complete and utter lack of} sexual morality, under the guise of being\u00a0responsible,<\/em>\u00a0with financial motives. It represents a battle between parents and everyone else. At the end of the day, parents are responsible for the well being and shaping of their children, from shelter, food, love, to holding ourselves accountable to what we expose them to. Surely even abortion providers can agree that parents are the best advocates for what’s best for their children…right?<\/p>\n

How you as a parent<\/em><\/span> can get involved<\/strong><\/p>\n