ROCKVILLE, MD – The Board of Education voted Monday night to appoint 14 Montgomery County residents to serve on the new Citizens Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development. More than 180 people applied to serve on the committee, which will advise the school system revises the family life and human sexuality curriculum in the coming months.

On July 27, 2005, the Board reconstituted the advisory committee and spelled out the committee’s role in reviewing the revised curriculum. The committee is scheduled to review the school system’s draft recommendations concerning the curriculum and instructional materials in February 2006.

Superintendent Jerry D. Weast is expected to bring recommendations to the Board for consideration in March 2006. Pending board action, the revised curriculum likely would be piloted in 8th and 10th grade health classes beginning in fall 2006. (See Superintendent's report below)

The Citizens for Responsible Curriculum did not submit a qualified nominee to the Board who has not previously served on the advisory committee. Therefore, the Board did not appoint a representative from this organization to serve on the committee. Board President Patricia B. O’Neill stated that the CRC seat on the committee will remain vacant until CRC submits a qualified nominee. (See statement below.)

The new members of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development are as follows:


Organizations

Tracy Fox, representing Montgomery County Council of PTAs
James Kennedy, representing TeachtheFacts.org
Richelle Meer, representing NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland
Emily Wurtz, representing Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Peter Sprigg, representing Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays
Eric Kay, representing Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils

Community at Large

Carol Plotsky, Chair
Subash Duggirala
Matthew Murguia
Victor Olano
Maria Peña-Faustino
Esther Pinder
Elinor Walker
Esther Lei, student


Following is the statement issued by Board President Patricia B. O’Neill on Monday evening:

“The action by the Board of Education this evening to appoint the members and chairperson of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Family Life and Human Development represents another positive step in our effort to provide a quality health education curriculum for our students. Earlier today, the Board received a comprehensive update from the superintendent on the progress of staff in the development of new revisions for the curriculum on Family Life and Human Sexuality, and we look forward to receiving those recommendations later this school year.

“In the meantime, I believe it is important that we understand what was accomplished this evening. Less than five months ago, the Board terminated the appointments of previous committee members and set about to establish a new committee and clarify its work as an advisory group to the Board and superintendent. In doing so, the Board established certain qualifications for appointment, including the stipulation that previous members were barred from re-appointment. The Board also established certain requirements for organizational representation and delineated how many members of the committee would be from organizations and from among students and the community at large. We then opened the application process. More than 180 people responded to our call to participate, and we are very grateful for their generous offer of community service.

“From these applicants, the Board has appointed nearly all of the members of the 15-member committee. We have one vacancy remaining. We had intended to take this action at the last meeting, but we wanted to give three organizations more time to nominate qualified applicants. Since then, the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MCR) nominated qualified applicants and one was appointed this evening. At the same time, the Board reconsidered its past objection to the single applicant nominated by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), and we have appointed its representative. However, the Board has not received a qualified nominee from Citizens for Responsible Curriculum (CRC) who has not previously served on the committee, and we are therefore unable to make that appointment. That seat on the committee will remain vacant until CRC submits a qualified nominee.

“The advisory committee will be invited to meet at some future date and begin its work. We look forward to the committee’s advisory contributions to the Family Life and Human Development program.”