Georgia

Georgia lawmakers debate public school approach to ‘age-appropriate’ sex education – Georgia Recorder

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2024

Georgia lawmakers debate public school approach to ‘age-appropriate’ sex education – Georgia Recorder

A bipartisan bill designed to update sex education curriculum for Georgia’s public school students faced skepticism in a House subcommittee last week amid questions of which side in the culture war can better educate youngsters on the birds and the bees.

Dalton Republican Rep. Kasey Carpenter’s House Bill 822 adds language to state code requiring the sex education curricula created by Georgia’s local boards of education and the state Board of Education to be “age-appropriate and medically accurate” and to include the concept of consent. It also updates language about AIDS to include HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

“Abstinence is still going to be discussed in sex education, that’s the best way, there’s no question about it, it’s the best and the safest way for children not to experience any of the difficulties in this arena,” Carpenter said.

“But I will tell you that 90% of people aren’t abstinent before marriage, and they do have sex,” he added. “And so we can continue to dig our head in the sand as a state and say let’s focus on this because it’s the best way when 90% of us, including a lot of Christians, are not following that path. And so I think it’s important to get real with kids because they’re either gonna learn it in a nice controlled environment at school where locals will have some control over it, or they’re gonna learn about it on their cell phone.”

Keri Hill, a representative for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential, a group that supports comprehensive sex education, said Georgia’s youngest students need basic lessons in consent to keep them safe and to prepare them for when they get older.

“Consent is included in the bill because it is incomplete to address sexual assault and sexual awareness education without discussing consent,” she said. “And a consent discussion in elementary grades, it includes information like how to identify a trusted adult, how to be a good friend, and discussions on medically accurate words for body parts to give children the language they would need if they needed to report someone is harming them or touching them inappropriately.”

Buford Republican Rep. David Clark did not seem convinced.

“It has potential, a huge potential to shift it more to consent talk, which I think in the end could encourage more sex with these young kids,” he said. “What examples can you provide how the abstinence based sex has failed to teach kids healthy boundaries?”

Carpenter pointed to data showing that 57% of teenagers have had sex.

“We try to attack stuff like this with the idea that everybody’s going home and they got two parents that want to sit out and talk to them about that, and that’s just not the reality of the world that we live in,” he said. “I wish it was 1950 and everybody had two parents at home and everything was great and we wouldn’t have problems, but we got problems”

Locust Grove Republican Rep. Lauren Daniel said that to some, “medically accurate” is not as neutral as it sounds.

“I think on the surface that sounds wonderful,” she said. “But we have seen – and we took a pretty hefty bill last year in terms of we had some medical authorities and research studies come out against it, one of the issues that we were handling that didn’t align with what has been historically considered medically accurate.”

Daniel was referring to a bill later signed by Gov. Brian Kemp blocking hormone therapy for transgender minors. Hundreds of medical providers and organizations called the bill unnecessary and harmful for transgender youth.

Carpenter said that should not be a concern because local school boards will still be responsible for shaping curriculum.

“I think that piece is, to me, protected in that local piece, where the locals are involved in the conversation that says, ‘Well that guy says it’s medically accurate, but he’s not a real doctor, he’s a fake doctor.’ But I do think the input from the doctors are important. And you know, if it’s medically accurate for you when you go to your OB/GYN to have these conversations, then why should we not be presenting that same information to the kids in school?”

Daniel, who campaigned on her personal story of overcoming adversity as a former teenage mother, argued that parents should be the ones who decide what is presented to children, and many Georgia parents do not trust those who would likely decide what is age-appropriate or medically accurate.

“I think that teaching kids what’s appropriate and what’s not is important, and as a teen mom, I recognize that kids are going to do what they’re going to do in high school,” she said. “However, at the end of the day, I do believe that parents have the ultimate say of what is age-appropriate for their kids, and I think when we bring in different organizations that may or may not agree with the parents what is age appropriate – because we’re seeing that all over in books and some other areas – but what we historically believe is age appropriate isn’t what’s being taught in schools sometimes, and so I just want to caution you.”

Carpenter’s bill was not scheduled for a vote. Feb. 29 is crossover day, the last day for bills to pass from one chamber to the other without legislative shenanigans.

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Georgia

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Published

1 hour ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Georgia Flock cameras spark widespread misuse fears

ATLANTA – At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with misusing the Flock camera database for personal reasons, adding to growing privacy concerns about the technology.

The cameras, usually mounted to a black pole, record license plates and other data of whoever passes them.

Georgia police database tracking

What we know:

A series of recent arrests has exposed the misuse of Flock license-plate-reading cameras by police officers throughout the state.

In Greene County, Deputy Quin’sha Goss was fired on Tuesday and charged with misusing the system.

The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged earlier this week.

That’s alongside a lieutenant, a sergeant and a deputy in Cherokee County charged last month with violating their oath.

System audits flag searches

What they’re saying:

Flock Co-founder Paige Todd stated that many recent arrests resulted from departments utilizing a new audit assistance tool that automatically flags unusual searches.

“In this case where misuse happened, the technology itself was not creating the misuse. It was it was human beings,” Todd told FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo.

Todd argued that the public safety benefits of the technology heavily outweigh individual instances of human misconduct.

Todd explained, “best way to prevent misuse is now, every member of law enforcement out there knows that this audit exists,”

Todd added that the system has successfully helped track down thousands of individuals across the country.

“We, I believe, solve about a million crimes with our technology,” she said. “10,000 missing people have gone home because of it. This feels like pretty small in comparison.”

Privacy concerns trigger pushback

The other side:

The ACLU of Georgia called the incidents a critical wakeup call regarding constitutional protections and tracking limits. Christopher Bruce of the ACLU of Georgia said, “Jeopardizing your civil rights and civil liberties is never just an unfortunate event. You have constitutional rights, especially a right to privacy. And the question is who polices the police?”

Information security analyst Peter Tran noted that the network relies heavily on automated data collection.

“It uses AI,” Tran said.

Tran said many are uneased by the logging searchable personal data into a nationwide database.

“It becomes a privacy and security issue. So, you’re whereabouts where you shopped, your name, your address,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Dunwoody sets ‘guardrails’ for Flock surveillance cameras use

The blowback has prompted dozens of U.S. communities to end their contracts.

Videos have circulated on social media instructing people how to tear them down or disable them.

In Barrow County, the sheriff said three Flock cameras were recently damaged there.

The sheriff said damage to the devices could be considered a felony.

The Source: The information in this story is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo, who interviewed Flock co-founder Paige Todd, ACLU of Georgia representative Christopher Bruce, and security analyst Peter Tran, as well as tracking data from local sheriff offices.

GeorgiaCrime and Public SafetyTechnologyCherokee CountyNews

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Georgia

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

Published

12 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. — Positive mosquito samples for West Nile virus have been found in Fulton County, according to the Board of Health.

Officials say the samples came from the Grant Park area and that infected mosquitoes are suspected to be present in the city of Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report this year’s West Nile infections are the highest since 2004. The disease has been transmitted by mosquitoes, with reported cases in 23 states. Most of the reported cases are considered severe.

Health officials suggest using an insect repellent registered with the EPA. Wearing long, loose-fitting clothing is also recommended.

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Georgia

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

Published

22 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.

Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”

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Most unique experience in Georgia

The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:

“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”