Greetings Lighthouse Inc., Church Family,

Please keep this lifted in prayer.

Blessings,

Lighthouse Inc., Church

Members of the Susquehanna Township School District Board.

Greetings and thank you for your service to this school district. I have been a committed teacher at Susquehanna Township School District since 2005. I am invested in and enjoy working in this community and crossing paths with every family that chooses to attend our schools.

I am writing to address the recent training that was required of all staff this 2022-2023 school year, entitled, “SOGIE: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression”. Due to the training format, biased view of the presenter, and politically slanted points of the training, I believe it was inappropriate for staff training. I would question the place of any school district to instruct those values to the children of the familes who live in that district.

In respect for religious freedom, I do not believe that staff should be required to teach something outside of the academia that goes against their own religious beliefs. The SOGIE training is contrary to what I believe to be true as I follow Jesus Christ as a Christian and follow the instruction of the Bible. I would not expect people of other religions to be forced to teach non-academic subjects that refute their beliefs. I would hope the same rights and respect would be given to all in this situation.

The public school setting is not the place for children, tweens, and teens to receive their coaching on their gender. Families have the right and responsibility to teach their own belief system to their family. It infringes on families’ belief systems for schools to take authority in this area.. While we work to be a welcoming and nurturing environment , that effort does not extend or equate to teaching a particular social viewpoint. We need to remember that we are an academic institution and let families have their voice in raising their own children.

I appreciate your consideration of the viewpoints and ask that the board would take action to keep this curriculum out of our school district. I would appreciate my comments to be expressed as an anonymous teacher from the district.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Emily Palmer, M.Ed.