ROCKLIN, Calif. (CNN) -- Parents and school board members listened on Monday to hours of passionate testimony, all focused on one key question: What is and isn't an appropriate lesson in a kindergarten classroom?
The lesson on what it means to be transgender happened after a kindergarten student, born a boy, was reintroduced to her class as transgender girl in June.
Her teacher read the class two books about being transgender without parents or administrators being notified.
"The school spent a lot of time since these concerns were raised meeting with parents," said Elizabeth Ashford, Rocklin Academy Gateway spokesperson.
"They didn't understand why parents weren't notified beforehand," Chelsea McQuistan said.
"Parents should be notified when this controversial issues arise," one man said at the meeting.
"This teaching left many children confused, frightened and questioning their own gender," a woman said
Since then, there's been a wave of backlash against the school by some parents.
However, some parents expressed support for the teacher's decision.
Ankur Dhawan's daughter was in the classroom for that lesson, and he is grateful to the teacher for teaching that lesson.
"The honest answer is I would not have had the courage to have this conversation with my daughters had this not been brought up at school, so from that perspective, it's been an important lesson," Dhawan said.
The transgender community as a whole supported the teacher.
"It's not controversial amongst the LGBT community to be who you are. It is controversial, however, to deny another's human identity and their dignity," one man said.
"I'm glad there are people coming out to support the school, the family, the child," said Pam Douglas, one of many who supported the transgender lesson.
She said doing otherwise is simply intolerant.
""At the crux of it it's sad, it's bigotry. Plain and simple, it's bigotry," Douglas siad.
The school board is considering five recommendations, among them: making it mandatory to notify parents about "controversial" topics beforehand, continuing to allow teachers to introduce age-appropriate books outside the curriculum and not letting parents "opt their kids out" of lessons they find inappropriate.
Should little kids learn about what transgender is?
but that they shouldn't be told certain viewpoints of controversial topics are "correct" and other view points "incorrect".
I mean, I'm fine with saying that "be nice to people" is correct, and alternatives are incorrect.
For the time being, all they really need to know is that Billy's Britney now, and that they should respect and accept that, and that's really not a controversial concept (or shouldn't be, anyway).
How about we concentrate on reading and writing. Or maybe even a little math? You know things that can actually help little kids latter in life. The transformer topics can come latter on.
Telling the kids they should accept whatever gender people choose to be (with the alternative being told they are wrong and are either punished or shamed for that) is already pushing acceptance of one idea over the other.
It's like the religion in school thing, for religions people, "god is obviously real" and there is nothing wrong with teaching kids that, where as for non religious people, they don't want their kids being taught that "god is obviously real" or that they should base any of their beliefs around that. And you know what, atheist and religious people can get along without being asses to each other.
If kindergarten topics revolve around identity, I would hate to be the teacher in charge of sex ed.
How about we concentrate on reading and writing. Or maybe even a little math? You know things that can actually help little kids latter in life. The transformer topics can come latter on.
Her teacher read the class two books
It's who they are, and accepting people for who they are is absolutely an idea that should be pushed over any alternative.
Who I am is someone that absolutely rejects the idea of accepting people uncritically and without making judgments based on my own experiences and values. I don't accept people for who they are, but for the case they've made for that acceptance.
And I haven't seen you be very accepting of that.
and that they should respect and accept that
Kungfu Kenobi posted...
Who I am is someone that absolutely rejects the idea of accepting people uncritically and without making judgments based on my own experiences and values. I don't accept people for who they are, but for the case they've made for that acceptance.
And I haven't seen you be very accepting of that.
I do accept that. What I don't necessarily accept is the behaviour that can arise from such an identity. You can be whoever you want to be. You cannot, however, do whatever you want to do. That's a very important distinction, and you don't have to accept everything a person does to accept and respect who they are. Actions have consequences; just make sure you're making a clear distinction between acting and merely existing.
You're already pushing for your viewpoint to be forced on kids.
Some people don't believe that transgenders should even be acknowledged as the gender they transitioned to
That's far too young, ok?
Furthermore you can't "accept that" without accepting the real world output of those thought processes, for that behavior is nothing but a reflection of who I am. Not unless we're talking about the most neutral and academic meaning of the word. I don't really think we're on the same page if there's some version of acceptance you're using where the following makes sense, "I accept you as a person, but I'm disgusted by everything you think and do and will take steps to change both or at least get as far from it as I can." (and I'm not saying you are saying this, just making a point).
SmokeMassTree2 posted...
That's far too young, ok?
That is a very, very difficult one.
-There are some people for whom transition is absolutely, positively, the only viable option.
-Early transition has the best outcomes.
-Kids are almost always far too inexperienced to make the sort of life choices required of a transition
At 5 or 6?
Kungfu Kenobi posted...
SmokeMassTree2 posted...
That's far too young, ok?
That is a very, very difficult one.
-There are some people for whom transition is absolutely, positively, the only viable option.
-Early transition has the best outcomes.
-Kids are almost always far too inexperienced to make the sort of life choices required of a transition
At 5 or 6?
That's straight up child abuse if you allow them to transition.
Yes
I have eyes
If you can't even buy a pack of cigarettes, much less a beer, you shouldn't be able to consent to elective surgery.
I'm starting to pick up on the reality that adjl's strategy is to just hit people with lengthy post after lengthy post, arguing in circles so that they lose interest and disengage.
Currant_Kaiser posted...
I'm starting to pick up on the reality that adjl's strategy is to just hit people with lengthy post after lengthy post, arguing in circles so that they lose interest and disengage.
That's pretty much every Internet argument ever. Nobody's ever convinced of anything, it just continues until one or more parties get bored and walk away.
other poster here who bothers with that
Currant_Kaiser posted...
other poster here who bothers with that
Zeus?
adjl is like Bizarro Zeus.
Most liken me to PO, actually. Zeus is relatively new, and is a much more aggressive devil's advocate than me (that, or he just somehow has contrary opinions on everything, but I think devil's advocate is more likely).
I dunno who PO is