The Wrong Fit?

After reading Caroline Abate’s various campaign statements, I understand that her goals are to eliminate the teaching of “explicit” sex education in Goleta Elementary schools; restrict language teaching to English only; and to include teaching of Christian beliefs, including prayer in the curriculum. She also mentioned dealing with COVID-19 prevention. Since her husband is a doctor who refused to be vaccinated against COVID, I would like to know that she is in agreement with that stance, regarding vaccination for elementary school children?

Abate stated that sex education is harmful to the psyches of the above age group. Is she aware that all public schools in California are required to teach sex education, with attention to age-appropriateness, and that parents who object to such presentations, may decline their children’s participation in those classes?

Regarding her English-only stance, as well as including the introduction of Christian values: I thought that in order for students to learn quickly, that the environment should be inclusive, comfortable, and helpful in allowing children to adjust to their learning environment. It seems to me that not allowing children to speak in their native language for at least part of the day, and forcing children of non-Christian values to participate in Christian-only activities, is exclusive and non-welcoming to a substantial number of children. Can’t core values, which are present in all major religions, be taught, without making the focus religious?

I encourage Abate as a kind Christian to re-evaluate how kind her proposals would be to the innocent, impressionable children in those schools. And I suggest that she would probably be a better fit in one of those exclusive schools where she has taught for so many years.