WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) joined the Protect Kids Caucus for a back to school roundtable discussion on how to combat the sexualization of children in schools and society.
Rep. Debbie Lesko, who leads the Protect Kids Caucus, said, “I was shocked, absolutely shocked by the graphic nature by some of the things being shared in our schools…I’ve started to talk…about these graphic pictures in school books that just blow my mind that I think aren’t even allowed on TV ads late in the night yet are in our kids’ schools.”
Ginny Gentles, director of Education Freedom Center at Independent Women’s Forum, said, “Many public schools in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, across the country, they’ve abandoned their academic mission, and they have prioritized divisive ideologies instead…These government schools, they closed their doors in 2020 and 2021, and they made it clear they didn’t want to teach reading and writing and math. And there’s a consequence to that. Those students are now months, and sometimes years, behind.”
Carrie Lukas, president at Independent Women’s Forum, added, “Parents shouldn’t have to beg to get content that they’re going to be sharing with our children. For greater accountability, I do think that schools should be held accountable for what they’re doing and then most importantly, school choice and parental power so that those of us who want to opt out have the ability to do so without such a tremendous financial hurdle.”
Nicole Solas, senior fellow with IWF’s Education Freedom Center, concluded, “I hope you see that the push to sexualize children is not just a few controversial books at school. It’s an ambush on children from all angles – school, medicine, legislatures, the UN, and the teachers union. A society that does not prioritize the safety and welfare of its children is a society in decline and we’re living in it.”
A full recap of the event can be found HERE.
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