Senator Joe Pennacchio blasted the Murphy administration’s escalating threats to school districts that refuse to implement controversial new sex education standards imposed by the State Board of Education.

New Jersey Senate Republicans livestreamed an independent hearing on sex education, state curriculum mandates, and parental rights on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. (NJ Senate Republicans/YouTube)

“Districts were repeatedly told that their local communities would get to decide how sex education is taught in their kids’ classrooms, but it’s increasingly clear that wasn’t the truth,” said Pennacchio. “The districts that have decided they don’t want to teach age-inappropriate lessons required by the new state standards have just been threatened again with discipline by the Department of Education. The governor should give us a ‘crisp answer’ on exactly what those punishments will be.”

The New Jersey Department of Education issued a new round of warnings of potential disciplinary action to school districts that fail to implement the new sex education standards that many parents believe are inappropriate for young children.

While Murphy administration officials refused to say exactly what that discipline might entail, they pointed to a law that could allow for the appointment of state monitors and the replacement of local school board members who don’t fall in line.

“Parents and local communities deserve to know if Governor Murphy is going to send the sex police into their school districts to punish those who stand in opposition to the concerning state mandates,” added Pennacchio. “It’s absolutely obscene that elected local school boards that are accountable to parents, voters, and their communities could be replaced for not complying with inappropriate standards imposed by the unelected State Board of Education. If that happens, it would be an affront to all parents.”

“This sexual indoctrination agenda has been one lie after another,” Pennacchio concluded. “First, we were told it did not exist, and then we were told parents could opt out. Now we’re learning it’s being required across the curriculum at all age levels, not just in health class, and school boards are being forced to include it in subjects where parents can’t opt out. The administration shouldn’t be surprised that people are pushing back against all the lies they were told.”