In recent years, the Montgomery County Public Schools system (MCPS) has made great progress with respect to LGBTQ matters. MCPS policy, of course, is set by the Montgomery County Board of Education. Below is the Questionnaire that the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG sent to all 2022 candidates for the Board of Education. Scroll down for the answers provided by At-Large Candidates, in alphabetical order, Michael J. Fryar, Domenic Giandomenico, and Karla Silvestre. Candidate Mike Erickson did not submit any responses. (Answers from the District 1, District 3, and District 5 candidates may be found here, here, and here.) For those seeking more context, I suggest checking out the links provided in the Questionnaire itself.
NOTE: In the July 19 primary election, the top two vote-getters move on to the general election in November. Voters may vote in all the contests, regardless of where in the County they live.
David S. Fishback, Co-Chair for Maryland Advocacy
Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG
Dear XXXXX:
For many years, the Metro DC Chapter of PFLAG has worked cooperatively with MCPS and the Board of Education to work foster a positive environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, and Gender Non-Conforming students.
In order to inform our members and supporters of the viewpoints of the candidates running to serve on the Board of Education, we respectfully request that you answer the five brief questions pasted below. In order to provide a context, we include background materials. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we will not be endorsing candidates for office, but we will pass along your answers, and anything else you would like to let us know, to our members and supporters.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you,
David S. Fishback, Maryland Advocacy Co-Chair
Metro DC PFLAG
cc: Mark Eckstein, Maryland Advocacy Co-Chair, Metro DC PFLAG
1. HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Background
The secondary school Family Life and Human Sexuality curriculum provides that with respect to matters of sexual orientation and gender identity, the lessons are not “scripted” (as they were prior to 2014), but rather that “instructional planning resources [are] developed similar to all other content areas, including sample learning tasks, suggested instructional resources, and teacher guidance (e.g., the American Psychological Association’s Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality, available at http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/orientation.pdf. This shift permits teachers to plan instruction based on the specific needs of their students, as they do in all other content areas.” See https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/c4cf1644198dfd9986257503000d636f/4e99ac91837305c887257cd1006d30ed/$FILE/6%201%20Sec%20Health%20Ed%20Curr%20Framework.pdf (pp. 5-6), adopted by the Board of Education on June 17, 2014.
Question
What is your position on the inclusion of information from mainstream American medical and mental health professional associations in the MCPS health education curriculum?
2. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Background
MCPS guidelines and regulations make it very clear that the Board of Education “expects all students and staff to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates mutual respect without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived personal characteristics, such as . . . gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, [and] family/parental status.” See, for example, A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities, 2021-22 and Employee Code of Conduct, 2021-22.
With respect to gender identity and expression, MCPS provides specific Guidelines. See Guidelines Regarding Student Gender Identity, 2021-22
Question
What is your view of MCPS anti-discrimination policies with respect to LGBTQ students and employees?
3. SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS
Background
On February 4, 2020, the Board of Education’s Committee on Special Populations reviewed its Support for LGBTQ Students Update. This review included discussion of MCPS initiatives for support of LGBTQ Students.
https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/c4cf1644198dfd9986257503000d636f/2687cea280a07e5985258504005b4a33/$FILE/200204%20LGBTQ%20Students%20Update.pdf
Question
What is your view of the initiatives announced in February 2020?
4. SCHOOL NAMING
Background
In 2018, the Board of Education decided to name the new Richard Montgomery Cluster Elementary School after Bayard Rustin, a gay African American civil rights activist who was instrumental to organizing the 1963 March of Washington, which became the platform for Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/Bayard-Rustin.aspx
Question
What is your view of the naming of Bayard Rustin Elementary School?
5. ATTEMPTS TO BAR DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR GENDER EXPRESSION.
Background
In some parts of the country, efforts are being made to prohibit public schools from discussing or even mentioning sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. See, for example, https://www.npr.org/2022/02/09/1079541236/florida-dont-say-gay-bill and https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2022/02/09/pete-buttigieg-florida-dont-say-gay-bill-lgbtq-youth-impact-nr-vpx.cnn
Question
What is your view of these efforts?
6. IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, PLEASE DO SO.
CANDIDATE ANSWERS:
Michael J. Fryar
1. What is your position on the inclusion of information from mainstream American medical and mental health professional associations in the MCPS health education curriculum?
Verified and vetted information should always be included in current health education curriculum. Science is a constantly shifting field as new discoveries are made and things we thought were common knowledge turn out to be incorrect. For instance, for years a high level of salt was regarded to be dangerous in food and led to high blood pressure. Then, in 2014, several published studies showed that there was no correlation between salt consumption and blood pressure or heart disease. That information, six years later, still has not trickled down into mainstream curriculum.
2. What is your view of MCPS anti-discrimination policies with respect to LGBTQ students and employees?
Anti-discrimination rules and laws that specifically protect LGBTQ students and employees are typically state law as it the LGBTQ only relatively recently received federal protection under the Equality Act passed by Congress. While it is fantastic that there are laws on the books, even without them everyone deserves protection from discrimination and bullying under all circumstances. Being judged on your merits and civil discourse is a cornerstone to our Republic.
3. What is your view of the initiatives announced in February 2020?
It is interesting to me that we are in 2020 and still having discussions around accommodations for protected classes. One would think by now this would be a simple conversation and inclusivity a quick process. The initiatives boil down to "People want to be valued, not ostracized or bullied, and have equal opportunity." These should all be givens in our culture and society. Having read through the slides there is nothing in them that is not similar to what other minimalized minority groups have requested and received.
4. What is your view of the naming of Bayard Rustin Elementary School?
School naming is a significant event that puts a specific individual in front of every student for every day that they attend that school. Naming schools for local heroes provides the opportunity to identify individuals who, otherwise, might slip through the cracks of history despite their great achievements. I think this selection was both appropriate and deserving.
5. What is your view of [“Don’t Say Gay”] efforts?
There are always multiple sides to a story. Parents see the bill in Florida as protecting their ability to control the information their children see and are exposed to, particularly at a very young age (4-6). Advocates for the LGBTQIA+ see the bill as a foothold in education curriculum that will see gains made in the past few years removed altogether or, worse, a rise in language and curriculum that targets them. Politicians are responding to local and national movements to give more control of school curriculum and classrooms back to parents. Teachers see the bill as diversifying their profession to create "classroom by committee" and see further limitations down the road of what they can and cannot teach in the classroom. But because we now see everything through the lens of combat, with every issue a hill to die on, we have lost both our perspective and our ability to communicate with each other. This reduces each side to entrenched positions where they see their argument as "correct" and the other as "needing to be eliminated."
6. IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, PLEASE DO SO HERE: As an attorney I've worked with LGBTQ clients for years on civil rights and education issues.
Domenic Giandomenico
1. What is your position on the inclusion of information from mainstream American medical and mental health professional associations in the MCPS health education curriculum?
I would be offended if such information weren’t included and made readily available, on an age-appropriate basis, for MCPS students. The goal of our school system is to prepare young people for life after education, whatever that might be. Withholding accurate medical information from students makes no sense whatsoever, so long as it’s done in an age-appropriate way. When I’m on the Montgomery County Board of Education, I won’t tolerate attempts to stifle the free flow information to our students without a clear and direct public health or safety concern.
2. What is your view of MCPS anti-discrimination policies with respect to LGBTQ students and employees?
Every MCPS student and teacher deserves to be able to live and learn in peace, just like everyone else. The children are just trying to figure themselves out at this point in their lives. Despite having these anti-discrimination policies, bullying of all kinds still happens far too often, and can lead to devastating consequences for the victims and their families. You simply can’t learn or teach in an environment where you don’t feel safe, and LGBTQ students have a fundamental right to education, just like everyone else. It’s the duty of the Montgomery County Board of Education to ensure that strong anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies are both implemented and enforced.
3. What is your view of the initiatives announced in February 2020?
These initiatives send a strong message to LGBTQ kids that they are welcome at MCPS. As a member of the Board of Education, I will ensure that these proposals don’t simply become another PR stunt and are actually implemented and improved over time.
4. What is your view of the naming of Bayard Rustin Elementary School?
Bayard Rustin was praised by President Ronald Reagan and awarded the Medal of
Honor by President Barack Obama. Any man that can win the praise of two very
politically-different world leaders is certainly worthy of being honored with the
naming of an elementary school. I believe that Mr. Rustin earned this honor by
spending decades fighting for the fundamental equality of all Americans. As if that
weren’t enough, he was a global humanitarian, helping those less fortunate than
himself throughout the world—despite the fact that he himself truly wasn’t very
fortunate to be born a gay black man in 1912. Mr. Rustin is indeed a worthy role
model for our community and our students.
5. What is your view of [“Don’t Say Gay”] efforts?
I resent the very fact that our kids are being used as a political football in the
so-called Culture Wars. Unfortunately, we live in a world where nearly everything
has been used as a makeshift weapon at some point. Dating all the way back
to Brown vs. Board of Education and beyond, it’s not really new that some people
would use classrooms to advance their personal agendas. We must stand resolved
against this kind of authoritarian behavior. I don’t care if you’re liberal or conservative,
whether you think that you’ve got the best of intentions or the worst: I’m not going
to tolerate attempts to weaponize kids or squelch the voices of our teachers. Our
classrooms are not a warfront, and LGBTQ kids aren’t cannon fodder.
6. IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
WITH US, PLEASE DO SO.
These questions strike at one of the major reasons that I decided to run for office.
Candidates shouldn’t have to effectively be asked whether or not you view all of
your fellow citizens equally, as humans, in 2022. It saddens me deeply that I still
have assert that “All men are created equal," but I do so proudly. I will continue to
fight for inclusion and a safe, healthy learning environment for every LGBTQ student
in Montgomery County, as I have for nearly 20 years as education policy advocate.
Our kids deserve nothing less. Additionally, I think we need to be proactive to
ensure the mental health and well-being of our LGBTQ students. According to the
American Psychiatric Association, LGBTQ individuals are more than twice as likely
as heterosexual men and women to have a mental health disorder in their lifetime.
All of our students have endured a lot with COVID and the general state of our world
right now, and LGBTQ are especially vulnerable. We can’t afford to be reactive in
responding to these needs, and as a member of the Board of Education, I will prioritize
greater mental health care support throughout MCPS.
Karla Silvestre
1. What is your position on the inclusion of information from
mainstream American medical and mental health professional
associations in the MCPS health education curriculum?
I support including information from mainstream American medical and mental
health professional associations in the MCPS health education curriculum.
These organizations are well respected by our families and teachers and provide
nationally recognized resources that can be used in our classrooms to support
all students and our LGBTQ students.
2. What is your view of MCPS anti-discrimination policies with
respect to LGBTQ students and employees?
I am in full support of MCPS’ anti-discrimination policies with respect to LGBTQ
students and employees. I support the work of the MCCPTA LGBTQ+
committee to help the school system make recommendations to the policy
and the Guidelines Regarding Student Gender Identity. This group tries to
monitor how well the policy and the Guidelines are working for LGBTQ+
students. We can always improve on our work in this regard.
3. What is your view of the initiatives announced in February 2020?
I am a part of the Special Populations Committee and was pleased with the
initiatives announced in February 2020. I think that updating the curriculum,
adding more inclusive books to our school libraries, training for school and central
office staff, and enhanced stakeholder engagement are all critical next steps.
I would like to see which plans were put on hold due to the pandemic so
that we can be sure to continue the work.
4. What is your view of the naming of Bayard Rustin Elementary School?
I am supportive of the decision to name the school after Bayard Rustin. It is
always the decision of the Board whether to accept the recommendations of the
school naming committee. In this case, the Board did not choose the committee’s
top choice but I agree with the decision of the Board.
5. What is your view of ["Don't Say Gay"] efforts?
Schools should be inclusive for all students. Health education teachers and all
teachers should be empowered and supported in making their classrooms inclusive.
Health education teachers, in particular, should not be placed in a position where
they cannot teach aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
In MCPS, we handle this by holding parent information sessions so they can ask
questions and review what will be taught. Parents opt into the health curriculum.
