"Inflammatory" Sex Ed Emails Go To Fremont Parents

Jan 13, 2009 8:23 pm US/Pacific

FREMONT (CBS 5) — As CBS 5 Investigates first reported last February, Fremont middle schools have been violating state law by teaching a curriculum called "abstinence-only until marriage"—a conservative sex education program which was giving kids inaccurate information about contraception.

Now, as the school board gets ready to vote on new programs that would meet state law requirements, it appears opponents are still fighting. But they're fighting dirty, say health advocates, by sending out an anonymous e-mail to board members and parents.

The email comes from a group calling itself "S-O-S", which stands for "Save Our Schools". There was no other identification, and CBS 5 Investigates received no response from a return e-mail to the group asking who they are.

The "S-O-S" e-mail attacks a proposed new curriculum called "Teen Talk", that the e-mail calls "extreme sex training for children," and which it claims includes giving kids "flavored lubricant and condom lollipops for your child's sexual pleasure."

But Teen Talk's co-director Kris Ahmed says none of that is true.

"No, 'Teen Talk' is not giving out flavored lollipops for their child's sexual pleasure. The statement is ridiculous," Ahmed said.

"I feel that this email was written to scare parents so they would write to their school board members so that sex education will not happen in Fremont Unified", Ahmed added.

Ahmed says "Teen Talk" is designed to meet California state law by teaching comprehensive sex education. Fremont has not been teaching a comprehensive program as required by the state.

Contrary to what Ahmed calls "inflammatory" accusations in the emails, she says Teen Talk does teach kids to abstain from sex, while also teaching contraception and health information as required by state law.

Ahmed believes some of those vocal opponents don't have children in Fremont public schools.

"There's a small minority group of people--some of which don't even have children in the district", Ahmed said. "And they do not wish for these students to receive sexuality education in the schools. They are a minority. And the majority of the parents want this education, they want their teens learning about birth control, and condoms, and abstinence."

Even the district's secondary education director, Dennis Brown, says tonight that much of what was in the email was inaccurate, but he says judging by the emails he's received about it, he told us he believes the email got "significant distribution."

It's a clear attempt to influence the board and their vote Wednesday night; the email urges parents to email or call board members and show up at the meeting. The problem, advocates say, is that some of those parents will be responding to inaccurate and sensationalized information.