School demands kids say what gender persuasion they think they are

(Pixabay)

Parents have forced a North Carolina school district to withdraw a series of sex-related questions in a survey for sixth-grade students.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools planned to ask the young students to choose their gender identity, giving them the options of "male," "female," "non-binary" and "gender fluid."

Christian Today reported the students also were told to define whether they are "pansexual," "asexual" or "questioning my sexual orientation."

Supt. Earnest Winston recently announced on Facebook that the district was withdrawing all such questions because of "feedback."

"This year three questions were added [to the survey], asking students about their gender identity or sexual orientation. The intent of their addition was to inform central office resource deployment to continue efforts to make our schools safer and more welcoming for all students," he explained.

"Feedback we've received on the addition of those questions has been positive and productive. Though many share our desire to make schools safer and more welcoming, several people have shared concerns about the wording of the new questions and the need for explicit communication to staff and families about the inclusion of such sensitive questions."

The district, therefore, has removed the questions, and responses "already recorded will be erased and will not be included in any reporting."

Many parents said on the superintendent's Facebook post they had told their children to ignore the survey.

One parent said, "I have no trust in my child's schooling anymore."

Another wrote: "I am advising my children that ANYTHING other than a scheduled test from their teacher that they may decline. And somehow I have to trust a 8 and 10 year old understand this [sic]. Unbelievable."

CT reported another commented: "I would like to know who all these parents are who are appreciative about this survey. Our children clearly had their rights violated!"

In an interview with WSOC Television, Winston said he wanted to find out who was responsible for adding the questions.

He said a human-resources investigation is underway.

"I am very concerned with the timing and the way in which I was informed about the actual survey," Winston told Channel 9. "It did not occur to the expectation that I have. I have expressed that to staff, and it is an active human resources matter."

CT reported Franklin Graham, CEO of the North Carolina-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said on Facebook the person responsible for the survey "should be fired, dismissed, terminated – period."