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What You Need to Know About GLSEN & Other Groups

You’re probably visiting this page because you’ve heard about a disturbing trend of schools introducing lessons to kids about things like homosexuality, transgenderism or same-sex marriage-whether their parents are comfortable with it or not. Or maybe you’re concerned that a school in your area is about to do so.

If that happens, will parents’ rights and responsibilities to guide when, how and if these topics are approached with their children be respected? It’s a valid question.

These days, homosexual-themed lessons for children as young as preschool age are often promoted and pushed into schools by national, sexual-advocacy groups. You may have heard groups mentioned in connection with so-called “safe schools” programs in your community—with names like GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or the “Welcoming Schools” program from the Human Rights Campaign. But what are these groups really all about? What are they really teaching children?

To make it easier for parents to be informed, we’ve compiled the latest information on these groups and the program and materials they produce.

Often, instruction about things like cross-dressing, same-sex marriage and homosexual relationships are promoted to young children under innocuous sounding titles like “tolerance” or “diversity” teaching. At the older grade levels, materials and books have been marketed as “anti-bias” teaching tools that contain sexually explicit information and—ironically—ridicule faith-based and socially conservative points of view. (You can view some examples of these materials in the “Take Action” links in the “What Parents Should Know” box on the the right-hand side of this page).

Why should you care? Think for a moment about the fact that a majority of the nation’s school-aged children—about 90 percent—attend government-funded schools. That’s some 50 million children.

So clearly, the messages those children receive about sexuality and values will play a large part in shaping the next generation. One of our most deeply felt heart cries here at Focus on the Family is the desire to protect and defend the most vulnerable members of our society—our children. So we really want to come alongside parents and give them the tools they need to safeguard the innocence of their children.

In the toolboxes on the right-hand side of the page, you’ll find information that not only educates you about what GLSEN and other activist groups are promoting in schools—but also gives specific actions you can take to make sure your schools respect your parental rights, your family’s values and your child’s innocence.