Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
The parents of those attending a Massachusetts school are outraged after the institute asked their children explicit questions via an administered health survey in late March, with both parties currently in the midst of a legal battle.
On March 6, Burlington Public Schools (BPS) notified parents of their plans to administer the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey to the young students at Marshall Simonds Middle School.
Highlights
- Parents are outraged over an explicit survey administered to children in a Massachusetts middle school.
- The survey questioned their students about alcohol, dr*g use, gender identity, and s*xual acts.
- The superintendent apologized and admitted the opt-out policy was a mistake.
The questionnaires asked children sensitive questions about alcohol, dr*g use, and gender identity and were a part of a national initiative developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But it seems as if a line was crossed.
RELATED:
Parents of a Massachusetts middle school are furious following an explicit, “inappropriate” health survey
Image credits: Marshall Simonds Middle School (Not the actual photo)
Everyone was expected to fill out the survey, even those who had opted out. On top of that, many of the questions were s*xually explicit, causing at least three parents to file federal complaints with the U.S. Department of Education.
One of the aforementioned explicit questions included asking students whether they’d had s*xual intercourse before describing the act in detail and providing the definitions of oral and an*l s*x.
Adrianne Simeone, a Burlington mother who had tried to opt her son out of the questionnaire, was horrified by the inappropriate language.
“I felt absolutely sick to think that they were asking such explicit questions to children,” she said to Fox News Digital, saying she had talked to her kids about reproduction but did not mention any of the other acts present in the survey. “I don’t think those were appropriate for minors of any age, let alone children as young as 11.”
Image credits: Fox News
Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center (MLLC), an organization that defends free speech, religious liberty, and parental rights, alleged that BPS violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendments (PPRA) — which details that K-12 schools that receive federal funding must notify parents and allow them to opt out of surveys that may include sensitive topics. The organization is also a part of the legal process, backing the parents.
“In not opting out students who had been opted out by their parents, [they] actually violated federal law,” informed Sam Whiting, who is a legal counsel for MLLC. “We’re very hopeful that the Department of Education, especially under the Trump administration, will follow through and enforce that law against the district.”
A demand letter sent to the members of the BPS School Committee by the organization also claimed that teachers had not informed students that the survey was not mandatory.
The form asked sensitive questions while giving a detailed definition of s*xual intercourse
Image credits: Fox News
This action — or lack thereof — has encouraged more furious parents to come forward.
David Hanafin shared his view of the controversial survey with the outlet, saying he had an agreement with Superintendent Eric Conti and Assistant Superintendent Laura Chen to opt all six of his children out of surveys that touch on sensitive topics.
And yet, his 11-year-old son received the explicit questionnaire.
Image credits: Fox News
Image credits: Fox News
“We don’t send our kids to school to be indoctrinated,” he said. “We don’t send our kids to school to have these discussions. You don’t need to open their mind. You need to teach them to read, to write, math, accurate history, accurate science, and you send them home, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Hanafin added, “My daughter’s 11 years old. She still writes her list to Santa Claus every year, and she can’t wait for Santa Claus to come and bring her presents.
“And then they’re asking her questions about an*l s*x and about s*x toys and that — how anybody in their right mind could say this is in any way, shape, or form appropriate, or what information they’re trying to glean from it, makes no sense.”
The school has since responded to the wave of backlash.
Three parents complained to Fox News and are now in a legal battle
Image credits: Fox News
In an April 1 meeting, Superintendent Conti apologized that the opt-out policy had not been honored, saying the whole ordeal was a “mistake” and that a few of the definitions in the survey were changed and added without the consent of BPS after the Wellness Committee had reviewed them.
One member of the School Committee took the side of parents and said, “Some students knew their parents’ wishes and advocated for themselves, only to be ignored, which is totally unacceptable. This cannot happen again.”
Image credits: Burlington Public Schools
“We as a committee need to revisit our policies and explore greater protections for our students and their families regarding student surveys and parental consent.”
It has since been voted unanimously that all student surveys will be suspended until a new policy is implemented and to remove all funding for JSI from the upcoming budget.
Many on social media took the sides of the parents, saying it was “sick” that the school administered the survey to such young children
Image credits: GuntherEagleman
Image credits: DabneyPorte
Image credits: englishbrigid
Image credits: purnilla
Image credits: paulkeres155
Image credits: GrimRpr2023
Image credits: CocoBakel
Image credits: dcnh42
Image credits: carrieleal
Image credits: TimMacdowall
Image credits: ColtsFanPO
Image credits: MCDCDetroit
Image credits: cneibert13
Image credits: ErBourgault
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
JuniorCJ82 7 months ago
I'm as liberal as they come, but GOOD GOD that is hella inappropriate. There should have never been a survey in the first place.
Michael Largey 7 months ago (edited)
At least not that kind of survey, since it grossly intruded on private behavior. At the start of my freshman year at a Catholic high school in 1964, my s*x education teacher - a priest - had us fill out a survey about s*x. But it did not ask what we did sexually, but rather only what we knew (or thought we knew) about s*x. The teacher wanted to identify which areas we needed to know more about at that age and where we had misunderstandings. It was like the pre-test given at the beginning of many courses, and better done than most.
Load More Replies...
Tiffany 7 months ago (edited)
Idk, could show how many may be a red flag to sexual abuse at home? There's more than you think. I was molested at 7 by my dad. Sometimes kids start early due to that. There's power and control (fear at home) to be able to speak up anywhere else.
Sunshine 7 months ago
But if the identities of the children are not being collected and it's a blind survey, then how can the abused child be helped? I'm really sorry you were hurt in such a way by your own father - I agree that it happens far more often than people realize. I just do not believe that this was the aim of these surveys.
Load More Replies...
Danielle Lee 7 months ago
As a mother of a middle schooler who lives in Massachusetts I'm infuriated by this, it's absolutely disgusting
Nova Rook 7 months ago
BP is running a Fox News story. BP is more and more maga by the day. BP is a brutally ugly place.
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
Fox News reports on a story concerning inappropriate content requested by a middle school and you are more upset because Fox News reported it? What is your problem?
Load More Replies...
Michael Largey 7 months ago
We haven't seen the entire survey or heard the rationale, but it certainly seems questionable. But since the first recourse of the complaining parents was to go to Fox News, I have to wonder if there was more than just one agenda in play here. (And how many 11 year olds still believe in Santa?)
BrownEyedPanda 7 months ago
Some things need public attention before action will be taken. It's tragic, but true. Given the hostile environment in school board meetings, the parents in this case probably felt that they had no other option.
Load More Replies...
Atom Bohr 7 months ago
The issue is that no one was given the option to opt out. That's utterly unethical and probably invalidated all the data
Michael Largey 7 months ago
Statistically speaking, allowing people to opt out would have invalidated the data. The responses you did get would not represent the characteristics (and therefore behaviour) of those not comfortable with answering. This bias is called self-reporting in statistics and invalidated surveys like the Hite report in 1976. For many reasons already mentioned, advance permission from parents should have been sought. The percentages of those parents approving, disapproving, and not responding probably might have been rather informative.
Load More Replies...
Lyone Fein 7 months ago
I guess I am in the minority here, because I think that s*x education early on is crucial. Early s*x education can empower both girls and boys to stop predators from manipulating them. Importantly it can also serve as an intervention for children who have personalities that may predispose them to being manipulators, by increasing self awareness and empathy. Using accurate vocabulary, as was done with the questions provided, is a far cry from graphic descriptions of intimate acts—which is the false accusation being leveled.
Gozer LeGozerian 7 months ago
Totally agree. But you don't introduce seggs education with a questionnaire. You educate by talking about it with the students and give them a chance to ask questions
Load More Replies...
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 7 months ago
I think it makes sense if it’s totally anonymous, and only given to older students. But 10-12? Nah.
A girl 7 months ago (edited)
I get asked weird a ss questions every time I visit my doctor. I'm worthy of a senior discount. Even at my "seen everything"age, some of these questions escape me. I'd probably teach my kids N/A as an answer. You really can't escape intrusion but you don't have to give in to it
Tyranamar Seuss 7 months ago
Because when you won't educate you kid about s*x, we, the taxpayers. Have to deal with the teen pregnancies and STD's that spread like wildfire. It's-here' a hard concept to grasp- a public health issue.
Load More Replies...
Megan Dee 7 months ago
I wouldn’t have been upset if there were basic questions but going into detail about explicit sexual acts is unacceptable for children. I agree all children should have an understanding of puberty, s*x and consent but explicit descriptions of different sexual acts is not at all appropriate for children and younger teenagers. Surely this counts as sexual abuse. If the school found out a parent had been describing sexual acts like these to an 11 year old child then there would be major safeguarding concerns
Lyone Fein 7 months ago
I didn’t see any questions going into detail about s e x. All I saw was accurate and appropriate vocabulary.
Load More Replies...
Scott Rackley 7 months ago
My principal would have found that one of his students was an alcoholic d**g a****t bisexual manwhore of Olympic caliber
Tropical Tarot 7 months ago (edited)
I have relatives that were sexually active in middle school. Kids are doing it and are not going to stop. We do need to find out some information so we can help them cope better with sexuality. My school system sucked then and now. Do an anonymous survey on a website or something.
Extinct Animal 7 months ago
All the students should have just answered "Yes" to every d**g, "Yes" to all the s*x questions and then "100+" for how many partners... I know that's what would have happened when I was at school if something like this got passed around.
Peter Bear 7 months ago
Considering how utterly useless 's*x education' is in this country, it's about d**n time we stopped being so prudish about it. S*x is a reality. It feels pretty dang good to most people. Kids, being kids, will be curious about it. Better for them to KNOW the FACTS instead of the lies, exaggerations, misinformation, and downright stupidity they pick up from gossip. And you can't educate young people effectively until you know what they know and what they don't, accurately.
T'Mar of Vulcan 7 months ago
In South Africa, when the health department wants to do the HPV vaccine, they only vaccinate Grade 4 kids in case kids in higher grades are pregnant. If parents think their kids don't know about that stuff, they are dreaming. I taught Grade 6 Life Orientation and we had to do an AIDS module that explained how you caught it (not Tab A into Slot B, but close). I can imagine parents trying to sue the ANC government over trying to stop kids catching a (at the time) deadly disease.
Gerry Higgins 7 months ago
They let their kids loose on the internet which is full of p**n and predators, but they're upset if their kid is asked questions about s*x in school ? Stupid Snowflakes.
Mariaf 7 months ago
it is acurate science. Sexual education IS M**O acurate science, you american imbeciles!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 7 months ago (edited)
Please enlighten me on how you educate children on séxual matters/séx ed in YOUR country, and then let me know if parents in your country would be like "yeah, that's totally fine, you can ask my 11-year-old if they've had ánal séx or have used séx toys shoved in their bútt and/or vágina." Because calling us "imbeciles" over a survey asking middle-school-aged kids if they've had a pénis or a séx toy in their ánus is a bit... extreme. That's not "science" or even "séxual education", that's an inappropriate intrusion of a minor child's privacy. Yeah, we Americans have a weird puritanical/taboo attitude towards séx ed, especially in the middle/southern states, but come on. You're just being offensive. Yes, séx ed is CRUCIAL and sorely lacking/crappy in my country, but a survey asking 10- to 13-year-olds if they've had séx is intrusive and inappropriate. It would be better to have a teacher/counselor ask the children in a safe setting that isn't recorded as data that could be used against them/shared with their parents.
Load More Replies...
Mark Alexander 7 months ago
Reminder: This is Trump's CDC which doesn't care about bird flu, but is about what's between school kids legs. This will not be addressed by the Trump DOJ that shut down its civil rights division or the Trump Department of Education which he is dumping in the bin. But don't worry. The USA will return to its racist white supremacist masters as long as we remain distracted by deporting innocent immigrants. (Sorry about the politics but it's the truth and it needs to be said.)
Boo 7 months ago
I live near a primary school and was out walking by it one morning (was around the time that I saw primary age kids going to school) and there were 3 boys (remember primary age and in school uniform) sharing a joint. It's not funny and it's not clever to make fun of an obvious growing problem.
Load More Replies...
JuniorCJ82 7 months ago
I'm as liberal as they come, but GOOD GOD that is hella inappropriate. There should have never been a survey in the first place.
Michael Largey 7 months ago (edited)
At least not that kind of survey, since it grossly intruded on private behavior. At the start of my freshman year at a Catholic high school in 1964, my s*x education teacher - a priest - had us fill out a survey about s*x. But it did not ask what we did sexually, but rather only what we knew (or thought we knew) about s*x. The teacher wanted to identify which areas we needed to know more about at that age and where we had misunderstandings. It was like the pre-test given at the beginning of many courses, and better done than most.
Load More Replies... Tiffany 7 months ago (edited)
Idk, could show how many may be a red flag to sexual abuse at home? There's more than you think. I was molested at 7 by my dad. Sometimes kids start early due to that. There's power and control (fear at home) to be able to speak up anywhere else.
Sunshine 7 months ago
But if the identities of the children are not being collected and it's a blind survey, then how can the abused child be helped? I'm really sorry you were hurt in such a way by your own father - I agree that it happens far more often than people realize. I just do not believe that this was the aim of these surveys.
Load More Replies... Danielle Lee 7 months ago
As a mother of a middle schooler who lives in Massachusetts I'm infuriated by this, it's absolutely disgusting
Nova Rook 7 months ago
BP is running a Fox News story. BP is more and more maga by the day. BP is a brutally ugly place.
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
Fox News reports on a story concerning inappropriate content requested by a middle school and you are more upset because Fox News reported it? What is your problem?
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 7 months ago
We haven't seen the entire survey or heard the rationale, but it certainly seems questionable. But since the first recourse of the complaining parents was to go to Fox News, I have to wonder if there was more than just one agenda in play here. (And how many 11 year olds still believe in Santa?)
BrownEyedPanda 7 months ago
Some things need public attention before action will be taken. It's tragic, but true. Given the hostile environment in school board meetings, the parents in this case probably felt that they had no other option.
Load More Replies... Atom Bohr 7 months ago
The issue is that no one was given the option to opt out. That's utterly unethical and probably invalidated all the data
Michael Largey 7 months ago
Statistically speaking, allowing people to opt out would have invalidated the data. The responses you did get would not represent the characteristics (and therefore behaviour) of those not comfortable with answering. This bias is called self-reporting in statistics and invalidated surveys like the Hite report in 1976. For many reasons already mentioned, advance permission from parents should have been sought. The percentages of those parents approving, disapproving, and not responding probably might have been rather informative.
Load More Replies... Lyone Fein 7 months ago
I guess I am in the minority here, because I think that s*x education early on is crucial. Early s*x education can empower both girls and boys to stop predators from manipulating them. Importantly it can also serve as an intervention for children who have personalities that may predispose them to being manipulators, by increasing self awareness and empathy. Using accurate vocabulary, as was done with the questions provided, is a far cry from graphic descriptions of intimate acts—which is the false accusation being leveled.
Gozer LeGozerian 7 months ago
Totally agree. But you don't introduce seggs education with a questionnaire. You educate by talking about it with the students and give them a chance to ask questions
Load More Replies... and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 7 months ago
I think it makes sense if it’s totally anonymous, and only given to older students. But 10-12? Nah.
A girl 7 months ago (edited)
I get asked weird a ss questions every time I visit my doctor. I'm worthy of a senior discount. Even at my "seen everything"age, some of these questions escape me. I'd probably teach my kids N/A as an answer. You really can't escape intrusion but you don't have to give in to it
Tyranamar Seuss 7 months ago
Because when you won't educate you kid about s*x, we, the taxpayers. Have to deal with the teen pregnancies and STD's that spread like wildfire. It's-here' a hard concept to grasp- a public health issue.
Load More Replies... Megan Dee 7 months ago
I wouldn’t have been upset if there were basic questions but going into detail about explicit sexual acts is unacceptable for children. I agree all children should have an understanding of puberty, s*x and consent but explicit descriptions of different sexual acts is not at all appropriate for children and younger teenagers. Surely this counts as sexual abuse. If the school found out a parent had been describing sexual acts like these to an 11 year old child then there would be major safeguarding concerns
Lyone Fein 7 months ago
I didn’t see any questions going into detail about s e x. All I saw was accurate and appropriate vocabulary.
Load More Replies... Scott Rackley 7 months ago
My principal would have found that one of his students was an alcoholic d**g a****t bisexual manwhore of Olympic caliber
Tropical Tarot 7 months ago (edited)
I have relatives that were sexually active in middle school. Kids are doing it and are not going to stop. We do need to find out some information so we can help them cope better with sexuality. My school system sucked then and now. Do an anonymous survey on a website or something.
Extinct Animal 7 months ago
All the students should have just answered "Yes" to every d**g, "Yes" to all the s*x questions and then "100+" for how many partners... I know that's what would have happened when I was at school if something like this got passed around.
Peter Bear 7 months ago
Considering how utterly useless 's*x education' is in this country, it's about d**n time we stopped being so prudish about it. S*x is a reality. It feels pretty dang good to most people. Kids, being kids, will be curious about it. Better for them to KNOW the FACTS instead of the lies, exaggerations, misinformation, and downright stupidity they pick up from gossip. And you can't educate young people effectively until you know what they know and what they don't, accurately.
T'Mar of Vulcan 7 months ago
In South Africa, when the health department wants to do the HPV vaccine, they only vaccinate Grade 4 kids in case kids in higher grades are pregnant. If parents think their kids don't know about that stuff, they are dreaming. I taught Grade 6 Life Orientation and we had to do an AIDS module that explained how you caught it (not Tab A into Slot B, but close). I can imagine parents trying to sue the ANC government over trying to stop kids catching a (at the time) deadly disease.
Gerry Higgins 7 months ago
They let their kids loose on the internet which is full of p**n and predators, but they're upset if their kid is asked questions about s*x in school ? Stupid Snowflakes.
Mariaf 7 months ago
it is acurate science. Sexual education IS M**O acurate science, you american imbeciles!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 7 months ago (edited)
Please enlighten me on how you educate children on séxual matters/séx ed in YOUR country, and then let me know if parents in your country would be like "yeah, that's totally fine, you can ask my 11-year-old if they've had ánal séx or have used séx toys shoved in their bútt and/or vágina." Because calling us "imbeciles" over a survey asking middle-school-aged kids if they've had a pénis or a séx toy in their ánus is a bit... extreme. That's not "science" or even "séxual education", that's an inappropriate intrusion of a minor child's privacy. Yeah, we Americans have a weird puritanical/taboo attitude towards séx ed, especially in the middle/southern states, but come on. You're just being offensive. Yes, séx ed is CRUCIAL and sorely lacking/crappy in my country, but a survey asking 10- to 13-year-olds if they've had séx is intrusive and inappropriate. It would be better to have a teacher/counselor ask the children in a safe setting that isn't recorded as data that could be used against them/shared with their parents.
Load More Replies... Mark Alexander 7 months ago
Reminder: This is Trump's CDC which doesn't care about bird flu, but is about what's between school kids legs. This will not be addressed by the Trump DOJ that shut down its civil rights division or the Trump Department of Education which he is dumping in the bin. But don't worry. The USA will return to its racist white supremacist masters as long as we remain distracted by deporting innocent immigrants. (Sorry about the politics but it's the truth and it needs to be said.)
Boo 7 months ago
I live near a primary school and was out walking by it one morning (was around the time that I saw primary age kids going to school) and there were 3 boys (remember primary age and in school uniform) sharing a joint. It's not funny and it's not clever to make fun of an obvious growing problem.
Load More Replies... You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
29
64