Seattle public schools have been exposed for surveying students as young as 11 on sexual orientation, gender identity, and drug use without informing parents.
They share this sensitive data with third parties, sparking outrage among pro-family advocates. The Check Yourself Survey targets middle and high schoolers in over 20 schools. Questions include: “I am most likely to have a crush on” with options like “all genders.” Another asks: “I identify as,” listing “non-binary” or “questioning my gender identity.”
Kids also select top goals, such as “be in a romantic relationship.” Students resist these probes. One 12-year-old wrote, “No I’m also twelve.” Another questioned, “Why do you want to know my sexual orientation?” The survey covers smoking, drinking, suicidal thoughts, and home violence too. Pro-family groups condemn this as an attack on parental rights and child privacy.
Parents demand written consent before schools collect and distribute such data. “Every parent deserves informed consent,” Seattle mom Stephanie Hager stated. She noted the value of this information makes it ripe for misuse. Data goes to Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute and King County. A federal probe by the US Department of Education investigates potential violations.
Schools used a $1.5 million federal grant for the program.This incident erodes family trust and exposes children to inappropriate topics prematurely. Stronger safeguards must prevent schools from bypassing parents and compromising child well-being.
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