Superb OWL

 

Straight from Minneapolis, possibly my favorite way to celebrate the day:

It’s Super Roll Sunday!

At the First Unitarian Society of  Minneapolis this morning you can purchase fresh cinnamon rolls. Proceeds will support their OWL programming.

What’s OWL programming? The Unitarian Universalist Association describes it as Lifespan Sexuality Education. That’s right, lifespan. The program contains developmentally appropriate curriculum for: 

• grades K-1
• grades 4-6
• grades 7-9 
• grades 10-12
• young adults
• adults
• older adults

I participated in a forerunner of the program which was called About Your Sexuality when I was in the 8th grade. Our youngest completed the OWL program at UUCC in Owen Brown. I’m a big believer in this program and wish more young people could have the opportunity to participate in it.

Honest, accurate information about sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision making, and has the potential to save lives.  - - Unitarian Universalist Association 

The State of Maryland has adopted a new Comprehensive Health Education Framework which contains developmentally appropriate guidelines for teaching human sexuality. This is a step in the right direction. However, you don’t have to go far on social media to see angry parents rising in opposition to this and grossly misrepresenting the new health framework.

Examples:

Maryland Dept of Education just issued statewide “Heath” curriculum that includes teaching gender bending to k-3. Be thankful if you don’t live in a libtard state.

For 2023-2024 school year, Maryland has new health curriculum. Gender identity, binding, hormones, etc

I can only speak to the curriculum in Maryland. Which my children's school, county, has adopted.  "Maryland comprehensive Health education framework"  gender "identity" being malleable begins at kindergarten, sexual orientation and sexual attraction in 4th grade, Anal for 6th.

These are scare tactics from people who must not know what developmentally appropriate means and who are desperate to keep children from learning how to accept and support one another.

Some Md. parents argue a new health curriculum is unfit for young students, Nicole Asbury, Washington Post

Parents in some Maryland districts are pushing back against their school boards’ efforts to adopt a state health framework that instructs educators how to teach about gender identity.

The framework broadly outlines how to teach health topics by each grade level; its family life and sexuality guidelines have been the most controversial. Under the guidance, prekindergarten students, for example, are taught to “recognize and respect that people express themselves in different ways.” It further advises school systems to teach kindergartners how to “recognize a range of ways people express their identity and gender.”

Interested in what all the fuss is about? The new framework is no secret. You can find it right here. Read it for yourself and see what you think. 

In the meantime, organizations like First Unitarian Minneapolis are selling cinnamon rolls to make sure that comprehensive, developmentally appropriate education in human sexuality is available in their community. Would I buy one? Absolutely.

I’m not a Super Bowl person. We usually watch the Puppy Bowl and the Kitty Half-time Show instead. Some folks prefer the fun of observing the Superb Owl instead. This year I’m relishing the thought of those folks in Minneapolis celebrating their Superb OWL and taking advantage of a well known American  pastime to do some good.