Marlton, NJ

Parents of students in a southern New Jersey elementary school expressed anger upon learning that their children had been shown a video that depicted families with same-sex parents.

Shortly before Christmas 2006, third-graders at J. Howard Van Zant elementary school were shown a film titled That’s A Family.  The film, which school administrators say was intended to teach tolerance, portrays numerous types of families including those with adopted children as well as families with divorced, bilingual, same-sex, mixed race, and step parents.^1,2

The parents of one 9 year-old student disapproved of the video’s content, arguing that the depiction of same-sex parented families “was absolutely appalling.”³ This parent also complained that the school had not requested his permission before screening the film in his daughter’s class.⁴

The school responded by scheduling a forum to discuss the issue with other concerned parents. Family members present at the meeting disagreed as to whether the film should have been screened in a public school classroom. Several parents argued that they had an exclusive right to expose children to messages about sexuality. One grandparent asked, “When does Evesham Township or any school have a right to show to my grandchildren something I believe to be morally wrong?”⁵ The mother of another third-grader countered this sentiment, asserting that “You have to acknowledge that these different kinds of families exist.”⁶

School administrators defended their choice, maintaining that the video brings a crucial message of tolerance and diversity to the classroom. The school’s Director of Curriculum explained, “[T]he video makes no judgment about lifestyles” and “is [shown] to teach respect for the diversity of all children.” The director also clarified that parents had been notified about the video, saying, “[A]t the beginning of 2006, a notice about the video went out to all parents….” but acknowledged that “there were no specifics about same-sex parents.”⁷

The school board of the Marlton-Evesham School District will reconvene to discuss this issue in mid-February.⁸  SIECUS will continue monitoring this situation. 

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