Big Changes to Family Life Education

CANCELLED: March 19, 2025 FLE Curriculum Meeting in Fairfax, VA

The March 19, 2025 meeting of the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC) has been cancelled because of a major change in how the FLE curriculum is managed within Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). Last Thursday, the Fairfax County School Board voted to move FLECAC to be under the Superintendent's purview, similar to how Math and English curriculum committees are managed. The changes can be found here in the governance manual for community advisory committees.

4 Public Education has been covering attacks on the FLE committee during this school year. Why is FLE under attack? covers the far right blogs, hate groups, and political groups targeting the adult and student volunteers who have committed their time and talent to ensure inclusive, scientifically accurate, and age-appropriate FLE curriculum for K-12 in FCPS.

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They have (purposefully?) misinterpreted the intentions and words of the FLECAC volunteers to stir up fears in their base. So much so that one of the same groups that organized the aggressive, disruptive protest at the West Potomac High School (HS) drama presentation of Kinky Boots a year ago, sent a letter across the nation to witness a "Vote on Trans Cult Lessons Littlest Students" (see right). What is described in this letter from Cathy Ruse and Deborah Maddrell bared little resemblance to what actually occurred during FLECAC meetings, and their characterization of the FLECAC volunteers was quite slanderous.

Additionally, Ruse and Maddrell’s letter indicated that FLECAC volunteers intended to vote to indoctrinate students and that participation is forced in these classes--neither of which was true. Read more about their letter here.

The Fairfax County School Board indicated that moving FLECAC under the Superintendent has been a long time coming. In truth, it never really made sense that a small curriculum like FLE was treated differently than other curricula committees. However, it is also very likely that the intimidation of aggressive, outside groups may have precipitated this change earlier than intended.

Hopefully, when the dust settles, the FLECAC can be more robust and effective. Perhaps without constant criticism and interference by groups that want to eliminate sex education from public education, the FLE committee can get their work done with less intimidation and threats. Then, the student and adult volunteers can focus on what the students need from a family life curriculum to ensure that students can be both healthy and safe in and outside of school. As per usual, once FLECAC review and suggested changes are complete, then Fairfax County students, teachers, and families will be able to review and provide input on the curriculum before the School Board reviews and decide whether to approve them.

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