OPINION: Parents in Charlotte, North Carolina are mighty upset after their sixth graders were asked about their sexual orientation and gender identity.
There were two choice back when I was in grade school in the 1970s — but these days there are all sorts of different choices.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said the sex and gender survey was part of a Title IX requirement and they told television station WBTV that the survey is voluntary.
The first question probed students about their gender identity with choices being male, female, non-binary or gender fluid.
The survey then asked, “do you identify as a transgender?” and the last question asks “which best describes your sexual orientation?” with choices of straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, questioning my sexual orientation or other, the television station reported.
Mixed reaction over this survey @CharMeckSchools students are taking. Parents think the questions about sexual orientation are too much. What the district has to say about it coming up on @WBTV_News at 6 pic.twitter.com/UwzADk54gd
— Dedrick Russell WBTV (@dedrickrussell) February 21, 2020
Neither parents nor teachers were informed beforehand that the children were being quizzed on their sexuality and gender.
One middle school teacher says he realized something was different about a school climate survey when a student asked him what “asexual” means, one local news report indicates.
“My concern is about the fact that they’re asking very personal and private information from children who may or may not understand the terminologies that they’re using yet,” parent Shamaiye Haynes told television station WFAE.
The school district launched an investigation into the survey and who was responsible for writing the questions.
“It is very concerning to me,” supt. Earnest Winston told television station WSOC. “We have an obligation to our families, to our students. We have an obligation to our staff and to our schools to communicate effectively to our families when dealing with sensitive matters such as these.”