By Michael Bielawski

The Vermont Family Alliance has created opt-out forms for parents who wish their kids to skip specific controversial programs such as LGBTQ+ inclusive sex education or condom availability programs, each the product of state policy.

Condoms for students, politicized sex ed, and more

For example, according to Vermont law, all high schools “shall” make condoms available to all secondary students. It’s up to each individual school how to go about implementation.

The opt-out form for this policy states, “16 Vt. Stat. § 132 transfers parental responsibility to direct our children to unlimited and unknown adult influencers. Therefore, this serves as a notice that my child, ____, shall not consent under 16 Vt. Stat. § 132 to condoms or all other reproductive services on the grounds that it denies my constitutional right to due process and conflicts with my parental right and responsibility to direct and oversee the reproductive growth and choices of my child ____ until eighteen years of age.”

There is another form to get out of the Agency of Education’s “Full Spectrum” sex education.

“The name ‘Full Spectrum’ reflects that students of all identities, particularly LGBTQ+ students, need and deserve sex education that is appropriate for their lives and identities,” the policy states.

One aspect of this sex education includes teachers being advised against using gender pronouns. It says to use “Folks, Friends, Y’all, Everyone (instead of “Boys and Girls” or “Ladies and Gentlemen”).”

The corresponding opt-out form states the following.

“The “Full Spectrum: Educators’ Guide to Implementing LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sex Ed” transfers parental responsibility to direct our child to unlimited and unknown adult influencers without clear oversight and guidelines, while ignoring the development stage of my minor child’s brain regarding informed consent.”

The state also has a “Continuing Best Practices for Schools Regarding

Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students” policy and there is an opt-out form for this as well.

This policy suggests that schools may need to keep multiple records for transgender students. It says, “This may require the school to maintain two sets of records (one with the student’s legal name and sex assigned at birth kept separate from routine school records) to avoid inadvertent disclosure.”

The opt-out form states: “This state policy transfers parental responsibility to direct our child to unlimited and unknown adult influencers without clear oversight and guidelines, while ignoring the development stage of my minor child’s brain regarding informed consent.”

Another policy that parents can get an opt-out form for is the state’s Outpatient Mental Health Treatment For Minors policy.

“A minor may give consent to receive any legally authorized outpatient treatment from a mental health professional,” the policy states. The policy currently states that “conversion therapy” or helping a student to move forward with an attempt to change gender is not legal for minors under the age of 18.

The opt-out form clarifies what’s considered problematic.

“18 Vt. Stat. § 8350 transfers parental responsibility to direct our child to unlimited and unknown adult influencers without clear oversight and guidelines giving free reign to the Commissioner, while ignoring the development stage of my minor child’s brain regarding informed consent,” it states.

They will help you run for school board

Opt-out forms are not the only service VFA does, they will also provide training for those who are interested in running for school board. A press release by Mom’s for Liberty detailed the kit.

“Today, Moms for Liberty is pleased to announce that they have released a first-of-its-kind School Board Candidate Campaign Kit,” it states. “This comprehensive package of information is designed to empower school board candidates with the knowledge and tools they need to win campaigns in school board races.”

The author is a reporter for the Vermont Daily Chronicle