Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-10-10 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

Montgomery County educators can begin to teach sexual education classes this month using a revamped curriculum for eighth- and 10th-graders containing

controversial sections on homosexuality, Maryland Circuit Court Judge William Rowan III ruled Tuesday.

Conservative groups, lead by the Citizens for Responsible Curriculum, tried to get the court to block the classes until after it can hear their arguments against the curriculum in January. CRC and other opponents are appealing an earlier decision by the Maryland State Board of Education in favor of the curriculum.

The CRC has argued the revamped classes, approved by the county’s Board of Education this spring, would lead to intolerance against those who oppose homosexuality on religious grounds. They also argued the curriculum fails to fully teach the limitations of condoms in protecting

against sexually transmitted diseases.

The county maintains the curriculum is the best available to teach the students. More than 90 percent of the eighth and 10th graders offered the updated curriculum in pilot courses this spring took the classes.

CRC lawyer John Garza could not be reached Tuesday. CRC member Michelle Turner said she was “very surprised” by the

ruling considering the state Court of Appeals’ ban on same-sex marriage.

“We may have lost the battle but we are not giving up the war,” Turner said.

The CRC appealed the county’s approval of the curriculum to the state Board of Education,

which upheld it in August. The CRC then asked the courts to intervene.

Superintendent Jerry D. Weast announced the judge’s decision during the Board of Education’s meeting late Tuesday. Board President Nancy Navarro said she was “very pleased” by the judge’s decision.

“We worked very hard to make sure we made a very sound decision,” Navarro said.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com