"Enter key terms in the search function like 'lesbian,' 'gay,' 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity'...and if you start pulling up a lot of books with homosexual themes, that's a real red flag to you because technically, the library should reflect the school curriculum," Cushman explains. "It's also a place teachers can go to pull out resources for use in the classroom."
CitizenLink has provided a list of books that should be of concern to parents, which can be found at TrueTolerance.org. The education analyst goes on to note other measures parents can take, including submitting a note in their child's file saying they want to be notified before any controversial, sexual topic is brought up. She says that note should stay on file through each grade level.
"A lot of states have policies that allow parents to opt out or exempt their kids from controversial teaching, especially in the sexual realm," Cushman adds. "So you want to know about that and exercise that right."
She notes that TrueTolerance.org also has a model anti-bullying policy that parents can print out and take to administrators. She assures that it is fair and neutral to all children -- not sexualized and politicized, as is often seen in some schools.