SNOW HILL – Officials say recent changes make a controversial health education bill worse than when it was introduced.
The Worcester County Commissioners this week agreed to send state officials another letter of opposition to House Bill 119. They initially voiced opposition to the bill last month, as did the Worcester County Board of Education.
“It is very disappointing that the state legislature is moving forward on a house bill that disrespects and disregards the parental right we all have to raise our children the way we want,” Commissioner Chip Bertino said.
House Bill 119, sponsored by Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary of Howard County, would require the Maryland State Department of Education, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health, to develop a comprehensive health education framework and require county school boards to create age-appropriate curriculum consistent with that framework. The commissioners initially expressed opposition to the bill last month, citing their concerns about the specifics of the framework as well as the fact that they felt it took away the rights of parents.
At the close of this week’s meeting, Bertino told commissioners he hoped the body would send another letter of opposition to the state regarding the bill, as it recently left the House Ways and Means Committee in amended form. Bertino said the amended bill was worse than the initial bill, as it took out the ability for parents to opt their children out of certain aspects of comprehensive health education.
“It does not allow for parental opt out of the program,” Bertino said. “This yet again flashes a full light upon what I believe is an assault on parental rights in this county and throughout the state.”
He said it was wrong for the state to move forward with a curriculum that wasn’t supported by many parents, particularly when they couldn’t opt their children out of the instruction.
“I think at some point the people of this county are going to say they do not want county taxpayer money going toward an education process that removes the parents from the equation,” Bertino said.
Commissioner Caryn Abbott said the bill did more than take away parental control.
“Not only is it usurping the parental role but it’s also taking the local control away from our school boards,” she said.
Abbott said the elected school board in Worcester County was made up of representatives taxpayers selected.
“They’re basically strong arming them into doing whatever they send down or they’re going to take part of their funding away,” she said. “I hope that everybody in this room and anybody listening will write letters not supporting this bill.”
Commissioner Ted Elder said the bill was an attack on family value and was another attempt by the state to take over parental rights.
“No one will care as much about a child than their own parents,” he said. “The fact that they’re even considering something like this, 10 years ago, 20 years ago it would have been unheard of. It’d have been something you’d hear from some communist country.”
Commissioner Eric Fiori said that as the father of three children in the public school system, he too was concerned about the bill.
“I think we need to do everything in our power to stop things like this now and in the future,” he said.
The commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter of opposition to the bill to the Maryland General Assembly.
