Champions of the Family
Michelle and Grant Turner and two of their children -- Madeline, 10, and David, 13
Photo by Bassey Obot
Michelle Turner
By Dennis Durband
July 8, 2005
For much of the past 19 years, Michelle Turner immersed herself in family life and her children's schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. Along with husband Grant, Michelle committed herself to their six children and working for quality education in the community. There were the usual things that families experience -- scouting events and school activities and there were Parent Teachers Association meetings. Her long years of service to family and community have earned Michelle Turner the latest in United Families International's ongoing series of "Champion of the Family."
Everything ratcheted up significantly last November 9th when the Montgomery County Public School Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a new sex education curriculum for eighth- and 10th-grade students. The "Family Life and Human Development Curriculum," it was decided, would be piloted at three middle schools and three high schools and then evaluated in June, 2005 for inclusion in all middle and high school curriculums in the 2005-2006 school year. The Citizens Advisory Committee, which developed the new program, said the curriculum would include "terms and definitions related to sexual variations," but that turned out to be an understatement. The real intent of the program was to promote homosexual behavior.
Many parents felt that the school's existing curriculum was appropriate and that the new program was entirely unacceptable. Seventy-five concerned parents met on a Saturday morning in December to address the problem. According to Turner, "We had an excellent program. Why change it?"
By the end of that meeting, attending parents had formed the Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum (CRC) and selected Michelle Turner president. The organization includes With its alliance of professionals, small business owners, teachers, corporate executives, sales reps, accountants, stay at home mothers, Ph.D.'s, lawyers, government employees, nurses and engineers, people of many faiths and people of no faith, the CRC launched its opposition to the controversial new sex education curriculum. The CRC mobilized support and collected 4,000 signatures on a petition opposing the new sex education curriculum, submitting it to the board of education.
Steve Fisher, appointed to serve as director of public relations for CRC, told UFI that, "Michelle has been involved in parental issues for a number of years. For that meeting, Michelle stepped forward to help organize it. She is an outstanding leader."
As a retired U.S. Marine officer, Fisher knows effective leadership qualities when he sees them -- and in Turner, he saw them.
"I would rank her up there with the best leaders I've seen," Fisher said. "She builds on consensus. She draws upon everyone's input. She is as good a leader as I've worked with in my military career. She is an outstanding citizen. Michelle recognizes that the public schools are there for the people. When she sees issues that need to be brought forward, she steps forward. She has the time and the interest to be active."
Another organization, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays, filed a lawsuit against the school board in an effort to overturn the new sex education program. CRC is now backing that lawsuit, and Turner is the plaintiff. It seemed like the CRC had bitten off a lot to chew against powerful opponents -- the school district, the National Education Association and the PTA -- organizations supporting the radical homosexual agenda.
In an interview with UFI, Turner said, "I think if we allow the liberal sex education program to happen, we will see the end of families and it will serve a tremendous blow to society. We are concerned about the opening of a Pandora's Box and students experimenting and engaging in risky behavior without knowing and understanding the consequences. Hopefully, parents will wake up and realize the pendulum has swung too far. If people don't respond now it will be more of a battle than people imagine."
On May 5, Federal District Court Judge Alexander Williams Jr. issued a victory to the parents' group: a temporary restraining order directing the Montgomery County Public Schools to halt planned field testing of its revised health education curriculum. The judge said the public school curriculum had attempted to impose morality on students by promoting one religious perspective regarding homosexuality over other religious views. Within a week, the school district agreed to allow a permanent injunction stopping the pilot classes through December, 2005. On May 23, the board voted 7-1 to approve a resolution to discard the new curriculum and a condom video, eliminate the use of four teacher resources and terminate the entire Citizens Advisory Committee with the intention of reconstituting it.
The events in Montgomery County have attracted nationwide attention. Phyllis Schlafly, an icon of traditional values and president of the Eagle Forum, said, "I can't remember any other case in the last 30 years in which a judge sided with parents against a curriculum adopted by a school board." Parents across the nation have been inspired by the Montgomery County parents to fight radical change in their own school districts.
Turner received a call from a man in Baltimore "who said our success has inspired others throughout the state to work toward protecting the family. I heard from many people across the country that see that it can be done by a group of parents and who are willing to establish similar organizations in their own areas. Unfortunately, this district is not the only one developing curriculum like they did here. Parents are taking back their schools and saying, 'No, we do not want you developing this in our schools.'"
The next step for the Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum group is to work with the school board to find an acceptable sex education curriculum. CRC parents are negotiating with Superintendent Jerry Weast, the school board and its attorney in hopes settling the suit out of court.
The CRC, Turner said, would like to see the advocates of homosexual curriculum realize that, "we are taking a moderate position and will work with the board to take the least objectionable position to the majority of parents. We are in this for the long haul. We have made a commitment to see this all the way through."
The rhetoric of those on the left has made it difficult to engage in civil dialogue. Fisher said that Turner and the CRC have been the targets of anger, hatred and angry emails.
"They have called us every name under the sun," Turner said. "They said we are out to create a theocracy. They say we only feel emboldened because President Bush was re-elected. They said we are Bible-thumping religious zealots who are cramming Bibles down people's throats."
Fisher says that Turner is a visionary who has the ability to see into the future and see strategic opportunities. Turner believes she and the CRC can work with the school administration to reach a win-win solution.
Turner said she has a lot of respect for and confidence in Superintendent Weast, whom she considers a highly intelligent man. "He is forming a team from his staff and other professionals in re-writing the sex ed program," Turner said. "I imagine the other side is working hard to maintain their influence. A lot of people oppose this. It is only right for the superintendent to take heed of the parents and not do a one-size-fits-all program. He must respect parents. This is a public school system, not a public advocacy. It is not in their purview to be politically correct."
It takes a lot of time to engage in an effort like this, and CRC leaders make the time necessary to pursue their goals. For Turner, the long day starts early in the morning before the kids are up. She is usually checking her emails by 5 a.m., exchanging messages and catching up on new information. The executive board of the CRC meets weekly. They are also busy answering media requests. CNN, Hannity & Colmes, the O'Reilly Factor, radio stations from all across the United States and a lot of Maryland media have requested interviews with the parents. The more media opportunities, the better, Turner says.
"Parents need to know they have the ability to stop this," Turner said. "It can be done. This started with an impromptu meeting on a Saturday morning in December. First and foremost, don't think you can't do it. Reach out to others. Decide on a common goal. Spread information through the media and by word of mouth, through the schools. Be aware of what the schools are doing and attend meetings. It takes perseverance, planning and commitment to take responsibility. These are public schools funded by public tax dollars that belong to the parents and citizens who have a right to know what the schools are teaching."
Fisher is equally concerned about the attempt to radically alter the schools. "While this issue is before the Montgomery County schools, we can't help but notice that there is a focus nationwide on liberalizing the schools," he said.
The Turners have two Eagle Scout sons, Grant III, 17; and David, 13; and four daughters, Lindsay, 24; Rachel, 18; Hanna, 15; and Madeline, 10. Michelle says that family "is the foundation of society."
With committed and active parents like Turner and the CRC members, champions of the family have proven that they can effectively oppose harmful public policies and protect children.
Story Update, January 15, 2007:
Maryland School District Approves Controversial Sex Education Curriculum Despite Parents' Opposition
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