Christian, Muslim Parents Join Together to Protest State-Mandated LGBT Curriculum in New Jersey

Last week, Coptic Christian and Muslim parents in New Jersey protested the newly state-mandated LGBT curriculum to be taught in all New Jersey public schools at a board meeting.

The new curriculum was signed into law last year by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The bill, which will go into effect this fall, requires all middle school and high school students to study the history of LGBT people in the U.S.

But critics are concerned that the curriculum will indoctrinate children on issues of sexuality, CBN News reports.

“We respect, love and tolerate everyone the same, as we are all the creation of God,” said Rev. Thomas Nashed of the St. George and St. Shenouda Church. “The schools have a duty to educate the children, not to sexualize them and force our kids to have sexual education by labeling everything to a sexual orientation, therefore stripping away their innocence … Let’s be clear it is the parent’s right and only the parent’s right to teach their own children such matters.”

Victoria Jakelsky, state director of a group called Protect Your Children, agreed, saying that the state is pushing a “radical agenda” that “undermines the constitutional rights of parents.”

Many also stated at the board meeting that they felt their First Amendment rights were being violated. Board Trustee Gerald Lyons, who is gay, disagreed with the protestors and…