Transgender ideologies to be taught in kindergarten in Washington state

Children as young as kindergarteners will be taught that "there are many ways to express gender," according to the new learning standards adopted by Washington state this year, and many parents are unaware of the changes.

State superintendent of public instruction Randy Dorn signed the "2016 Health and Physical Education Standards for K–12" on March 25 that will teach students about principles like gender identity and gender expression.

According to the learning standards, gender does not refer to biological sex alone; instead, it is a "social construct based on emotional, behavioral, and cultural characteristics attached to a person's assigned biological sex." Gender that refers to biological sex is reduced to a person's "legal status as male or female."

Meanwhile, gender identity is defined as what a person senses his or her gender to be.

The new standards were adopted without issuing a notification to parents through a press release.

The curriculum includes a topic section called "Sexual Identity," in which educators will teach kindergarten and first grade students that people have different ways of expressing gender.

In second grade, teachers will make students understand that there is a "range of gender roles" and that it is important to respect other people's gender expression.

In third grade, teachers will emphasize the importance of respecting other people's gender identity.

In fourth grade, teachers will define sexual orientation and remind students "to show respect for all people."

And in the fifth grade, teachers will recommend "trusted adults to ask questions about gender identity and sexual orientation." They will also "promote ways to show respect for all people."

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) confirmed that parents were not informed about the new curriculum and it has no plans of doing so.

What will happen to students who refuse to accept transgender ideologies? Whether they would fail the course or not will be decided on by the district or the school, according to OSPI communications manager, Nathan Olsen, the Daily Caller reported.

The Family Policy Institute of Washington, which led a petition against the new standards, urged parents to be involved in the discussion at their children's schools.

"Ask if your local school board plans to implement the state's radical new curriculum for elementary school classes in your child's school and, if you aren't satisfied with the response you get from the school board, we'd encourage you to run for the school board and to let us know of your intention," the FPIW said on its website.