“Three months ago, the Marion County School Board removed the Sanford Harmony social emotional learning or SEL program because of how it countered gender stereotyping .A Baptist pastor told them its lessons on gender norms blurred the lines between ‘boyness and girlness.’ On Thursday, the board struggled to replace that free and highly rated curriculum for its students in kindergarten through fifth grade.”
“The crackdown follows a deadly traffic accident last weekend at NW 17th Avenue and West University Avenue. Sophia Lambert, 18, a UF sophomore, died and five others were hospitalized after a car crashed into another moving vehicle while turning onto 17th Avenue.”
Thursday, January 21, 2021 by Joe Byrnes (WMFE)
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Marion County School Board Chairwoman Nancy Thrower speaks during a meeting on Thursday. Image: MCPS video
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Three months ago, the Marion County School Board removed the Sanford Harmony social emotional learning or SEL program because of how it countered gender stereotyping.
A Baptist pastor told them its lessons on gender norms blurred the lines between “boyness and girlness.”
Marion County Public Schools is asking the public to help evaluate a new social emotional learning curriculum for elementary students to replace Sanford Harmony, which the Marion County School Board pulled recently.
The board in October investigated whether the school district could create its own social and emotional support curriculum. Such curriculum is mandated by the state Legislature. As it turns out, the district can.
The board decided to discontinue Sanford Harmony, a popular social and emotional support education program for elementary and middle school children, due to the curriculum s themes regarding gender norms aimed at kindergartners.
A Marion County parent appeared before the board, claiming kindergarten students are too young to be introduced to such concepts. The board agreed.