Washington, D.C. (Map, News) - judge has ruled that Montgomery County schools can continue teaching a controversial sexual education curriculum that touched off a battle over the nature of homosexuality.

The ruling ends a nearly three-year legal battle between the schools and a group of Christian conservatives.

In his ruling, Judge William Rowan let a June decision by the Maryland State Board of Education approving the curriculum stand, citing the board's authority to interpret laws governing education.

"I'm thrilled. I say yes to Judge Rowan," said School Board Member Pat O'Neill. "And to the other side, I say get out of town, shut up, quit costing Montgomery County taxpayers money for litigation, and we're right and parents believe we're right."

School spokesman Brian Edwards estimated that fighting the suit cost the district more than $500,000. The opponents, led by Montgomery County-based Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum, had free representation from Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center.

Opponents took issue with two classroom lessons: 90 minutes in eighth grade on "Respect for Differences in Human Sexuality" and 45 minutes in 10th grade on how to use a condom.

In eighth grade, the text uses the word "innate" to describe sexual orientation. In tenth grade, it discusses certain types of intercourse in detail which opponents believed too erotic for school. Maryland law forbids the instruction of "erotic techniques."

"When I talk to other parents about the curriculum, I say excuse me for using such vulgar language," Rosemarie Briggs, national director of the Family Leader Network, a plaintiff in the suit, said.

Briggs added that "the tolerance class is only tolerant of one viewpoint - that sexual behavior is healthy and morally acceptable." The curriculum does not do enough, she said, to inform students of the "medical risks of this lifestyle."

This is the first year the "opt-in" curriculum has been used in all of the Montgomery County schools, said Edwards. In the middle schools, 95 percent of parents signed off on the classes; In high school, 97 percent did.

O'Neill said she heard from religious conservatives from Florida to Idaho disgusted with Montgomery County.

But the opponents "speak for a minority," she said. "Many do not even live in the county."

lfabel@dcexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

12:52 PM MST on Mon., Feb. 4, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Boo Hoo said:
Well, while many of them will graduate not being able to string together a complete sentence and do simple math, they will all certainly know how to use a condom. I guess in the eyes of a weirdo that's progress. Even if Montgomery is a top public school district, that only means it's the best of the worst. I'm sure they will be second only to Massachusetts in producing sex-obsessed freaks from their schools. Am I being intolerant? By not tolerating my intolerance, you are also intolerant.

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9:54 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

MoCo Parent said:
Nice to see the educational leadership exhibited by one of the top public school districts in the nation. Once the conservative commentators who are so proudly litigating and living in other counties have better academic achievements then us, only then might you have a leg to stand on when criticizing our curriculum. I like how our college prep curriculum teaches kids aspects of growing up and going to college, and is not just preparation for seminary school.

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6:33 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Prince Georges County HIgh School Student said:
Really, regardless whether you teach them about sex, or not, many of them will still do it. If the schools don't do it, the media will. At least if they have crazy teachers, or smart teachers they can scare them with all the possible STD's, and death rates. As for the young unwed pregnant mothers, I actually blame it on the kids parents. The schools or even the general public is not supposed to be watching out for your child. Many parents know their child is sexually active, and many of them encourage it, but when their child gets an STD they'll make the child feel as if they were in it all by themselves. If you can't control your child, why did you have them? Speaking for myself, I had sex ed in 5th and 6th grade, and if I may say so, I'm still doing good. No STD's, and I haven't done anything to contract them yet, and I don't plan on getting them either.

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6:15 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Jonathan said:
For those who think VA is better, you may want to read about the attempted censorship of a student written gay-themed play in Loudoun County. One of the actors in our drama was Susie Chapman, wife of Lynn Chapman, a Republican candidate who lost a bid for delegate and has greater political ambitions. Chapman is policy director of the "Family Leader Network", one of the groups that sued Montgomery County. Material can be found here: www.equalityloudoun.org/?page_id=247

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5:31 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Examiner Reader said:
If School Board Member Pat O'Neill is SOOO cocerned about the school budget how about she and rest of the liberals expell all the illegals in monkey county schools? Fat chance

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5:24 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Examiner Reader said:
Seems all the commenter�s have the same idea: don't teach them about sex and they'll never do it. That's why the schools have to...the parents won't. "course these are the parents that are still looking for witches and heretics. Wake up...just join the 19th Century (THAT would be an improvement).

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11:25 PM MST on Sat., Feb. 2, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Examiner Reader said:
Wonder how long it will be before we see an alarming rate in unwed mothers in Montgomery Co.? Sexually transmitted diseases will also skyrocket. Will they wonder why this is happening or do they want this to happen to the kids there in Montgomery Co.? What's really behind all this horrendous garbage going on in the schools today? They (educators) can't be this blind or stupid, can they?

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10:12 PM MST on Sat., Feb. 2, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Boo Hoo said:
The perverts in Montgomery Co. will never miss an opportunity to force themselves on school kids. These parents had a lot of guts to speak up against this nonsense. Those of you fortunate enough not to live in Montgomery should be watching for this ridiculous, mind-numbing, time-wasting crap to start up at schools near you. What the hell happened to reading, writing and math? Send your kids to school in Montgomery if you want, but you'll do just as well to let your kids watch the Jerry Springer show all day. They'll see plenty of diversity there and will also learn to ignore common decency and lose all natural modesty. What next.

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6:32 PM MST on Sat., Feb. 2, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Examiner Reader said:
Sorry to hear that MoCo schools will be sexualizing kids at an even younger age. And for Board member O'Neill to comment like that in public is daffy. It shows how politically-minded MoCo is and has no real intent on educating children, unless the teachings are part of the liberal brainwashing curriculum. Despicable. No wonder VA is so much better.

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5:07 AM MST on Sat., Feb. 2, 2008 re: "Montgomery County wins long battle on sex ed"

Examiner Reader said:
Yet another reason I'm glad I got my children out of Montgomery County.

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