Elite NYC Private School Under Fire After Teaching First Graders About Masturbation
An elite NYC private school is currently under fire after administrators permitted teaching first graders about masturbation during sexual education lessons.
It’s reported that after a New York Post exposé on the Dalton School, whose parents pay a $55,000-per-year tuition, it was revealed that first grade students were being taught about self-pleasuring via the sex education series AMAZE. After angry parents complained, they were told the “health and wellness” lessons, taught by Justine Ang Fonte — who last month led a controversial and explicit “porn literacy” workshop at another elite prep school — were being “misinterpreted.”
The AMAZE series cartoons, which was used in the sex-ed classes for 6-year-olds, featured a clip of young children talking about “touching themselves” for pleasure and questioning what erections and vulvas are. Fonte affirms that she does not teach children to use the word masturbation nor to touch themselves in public, but does teach them about consent, gender assigned at birth, gender identity and gender expression among other things.
Upon the backlash from numerous parents and those on social media, a Dalton spokesman said, “As part of Dalton’s comprehensive Health curriculum for students, a lesson on Gender & Bodies included two evidence-based and age-appropriate videos approved for students 4 years and older. These videos align with nationally recognized methodologies and standards. We consistently review our Health curriculum, making sure that the content is developmentally appropriate and, if necessary, we adapt our curriculum accordingly. We will continue to listen carefully to parent feedback, respond thoughtfully to community concerns, and develop lessons that are in the best interest of our students, respect our community’s values, and correspond with best practices.”