School that taught sixth graders transgender terms is affiliated with Univ. of Florida
P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, an affiliate of the University of Florida, presented slideshows to sixth-grade students during a class on sexual education.
The slideshow Human Anatomy and Reproduction discussed body dysmorphia.
In May of 2021, P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, a Gainsville-based affiliate of the University of Florida (UF), presented slideshows to sixth-grade students that included the terms “people with a penis” and “people with a vulva.”
Fox News obtained a letter from the school informing parents that their children would receive “human growth and development education” in the 2022 Spring semester.
The letter includes links to slideshows that will be presented during class.
The titles of the slideshows were as follows: “Puberty, Change, & Finding Accurate Information,” “Human Anatomy & Reproduction,” “Decision Making, Boundaries and Healthy Relationships,” and “Affection, Abstinence, & Understanding Love.”
The slideshow Human Anatomy and Reproduction discusses gender dysphoria.
“Most people who have biological male reproductive parts are boys and most people who have biological female reproductive parts are girls, but sometimes people can have reproductive parts that don’t match who they are,” a slide reads.
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The slideshow continues with displays of the male and female anatomy labeled as “people with a penis” and “people with a vulva.”
The Affection, Abstinence, & Understanding Love slideshow includes a video of a family explaining to their grandfather that their friend “Alex” identifies as neither a boy nor a girl.
The cartoon then describes the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity, explaining that the former describes one’s attitude towards others while gender identity describes how one feels about one’s self.
UF Interim Director of Strategic Communications Cynthia Roldan told Campus Reform that all class material is “age appropriate.”
“The University of Florida’s P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School’s human growth and development curriculum aligns with state and federal guidelines to ensure that its content is age appropriate and grounded in science,” Roldan asserted.
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She also noted that the “curriculum in question is currently under review by P.K. Yonge administration in anticipation of forthcoming technical guidance from the Florida Department of Education to ensure its instruction continues to be in compliance with state law, with the goal of completing the review before it is taught again in Spring 2023.”
While parents have the ability to opt their children out of the courses, teaching elementary children about LGBTQ+ issues has been a priority of UF.
UF LGBTQ+ Affairs has a resource page specifically for youth.
“BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE FOR CREATING LGBT INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS,” “READY, SET, RESPECT!,” and “SAFE SPACE KIT” are just some of the programs UF offers for teacher use with elementary-aged children.
Campus Reform reached out to P.K. Yonge for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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