Dad accuses Calif. school board member of 'indoctrination,' lying to parents
GLENDALE, Calif. (CITC) — A father is accusing a California school board member of concealing consistent attempts to "indoctrinate" students in a California school district.
Jordan Henry directed his outrage at Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) school board vice president Jennifer Freemon Tuesday. While raising concerns over curriculum and district policies, he pointed to alleged previous claims of Freemon's that GUSD does "not indoctrinate" students or ask them to "behave inappropriately."
"They are saying boys can be girls and girls can be boys," Henry said during Tuesday's board meeting. "If you believe in that, that is your opinion, and if that is your official policy, Jennifer, that is indoctrination because it offends a lot of people's actual doctrine."
A GUSD spokesperson told Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) that Henry is not a parent within the district.
As an example of instructing students to "behave inappropriately," Henry referenced an alleged recent incident involving a student with special needs. GUSD student Thelma Gonzalez, who spoke later in the meeting, was allegedly asked to provide the definition of "scissoring" during a health lesson, despite her mother requesting that she be excused.
"A violation of their doctrine, their Christian doctrine," Henry said, referring to Gonzalez and her mother. "Regardless of what you think, what I think, what the community thinks about any faith, you violated that. And if you don't condemn that today, Jennifer, you are a hypocrite and a liar."
At some points, Henry turned to face the other parents in attendance, asking them if they feel that GUSD "values" their children.
"If you think they value your children, you're more than entitled to think that," Henry said. "They will not lie to you about your child, they will lie to these parents. They will conceal that private information from parents. You have enshrined that into doctrine, into policy, which is a misinterpretation of the law."
It is not immediately clear what policy Henry was referring to. However, GUSD's anti-discrimination policy states the district will only disclose a student's "transgender or gender-nonconforming status" with their consent. It also mandates that a district official may discuss with that same student "any need" to confide in their parents or guardians.
The policy, which is adapted from state guidance, has prompted protests at several recent GUSD school board meetings.
"A lot of these parents and their children do not feel like they belong," Henry said. "And you, Jennifer, and the rest of the board and the previous members of this board, have explicitly supported those policies that exclude people and parents."
Freemon, as well as the rest of the GUSD school board, elected to respond at the end of the meeting, saying they needed to "correct some concrete misinformation." In lieu of directly answering any of Henry's concerns, Freemon chose to read aloud from the book "All Are Welcome Here," which is centered around diversity and inclusion.
"Kind of a reminder...that every single person on our campus is welcome and has a place," Freemon said.
"In GUSD, comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education are taught as part of our 9th grade health curriculum and follow the standards outlined in the California Healthy Youth Act," a GUSD spokesperson told CITC in a statement. "Parents may view the materials prior to instruction and have an opportunity to opt their child out of this curriculum."
CITC reached out to Freemon for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated if a response is received.