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February 8th New Trier to Administer
"Youth Risk Behavior Survey"
- Have you ever had sexual intercourse?
- How old were you when you had sexual intercourse for the first time?
- Have you ever been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when you did not want to?
- During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?
- During the past 12 months, did you make a plan about how you would attempt suicide?
- During the past 12 months, how many times did you actually attempt suicide?
These are examples from the 152-question “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” that will be administered to all New Trier students on February 8th.
The survey features questions from the CDC as well as some created by New Trier in consultation with outside organizations. Specifically, New Trier deleted certain basic, non-controversial questions, e.g., sex, height and weight, history of concussions, access to dental care, and an assessment of current “mental health.” Instead, New Trier adds custom, questionable topics, including a declaration of “gender” (instead of sex assigned at birth), experience with gender discrimination and sexting, and whether each student’s parents have substance abuse problems or struggle with mental illness.
While a couple of topics are about nutrition and exercise, the vast majority are about drugs, alcohol, sexual intercourse, and physical abuse. Strangely, the survey ends by asking students if they answered honestly. (And what happens if they answer “no”? Is the survey discarded?)
The survey asks a litany of highly invasive, leading questions that assume all students are engaging in self-destructive behavior or have been victims of rape or physical abuse. The first option for the answer to the question about the age of first sexual intercourse is “a.) 11-years old.”
Also, the survey includes questions that could trigger trauma in students who have truly suffered. Think of a student who has actually been raped. Is this the best format in which to gather that data? Would that not trigger trauma? And what about the student who has not engaged in any of this behavior? If they weren’t thinking about these activities before the survey, they will be after taking it.
The survey is not mandatory and you may opt your child out of this survey by clicking here by February 1st.
The Supreme Court and U.S. law has said parents are the ultimate authority over their children. Per the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, 20 U.S.C. § 1232h, you are able to opt your child out of invasive surveys, review curriculum, prevent schools from asking personal questions and insist upon your right to consent before your child is taught controversial topics like gender ideology and racial essentialism (e.g., CRT). See this overview and printable guidebook here.
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