We are witnessing a broad pattern of activist-led efforts to redefine terminology to steer education and advance political ideology away from truth. To effectively communicate and defend truth, we must agree upon terminology definitions around topics like gender ideology, racism, and inclusivity. This is a list of definitions and terminology endorsed by Parents for Accountability in Cleveland Independent Schools.

​

​

Classic virtues -- fundamental traits of character: honesty, compassion, courage, perseverance.

​

Common good – that which is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a given community.

​

Gender – a social classification of humans based on the sex of the individual. The gender of an individual is static and cannot be changed by the state of mind or through medical or surgical intervention.

​

Gender-affirming care – medical care, interventions, and therapies that promote the idea that gender and sex can be changed.

​

Gender dysphoria or distress – distress induced by a strong desire to identify as a gender inconsistent with one’s biological sex.  

​

Gender fluidity – describes the nature of gender identity as a subjective state of mind independent of biology and fluctuating depending on the individual’s psychological state of mind.  

​

Gender identity – an individual’s perception of their gender. 

​

Gender transition interventions – the use of drugs, hormones, and surgical procedures to alter an individual's body to mimic that of the opposite sex. 

​

Inclusivity – the inclusion of all members and participants of a group with consideration and respect for differences.

​

Innocence (of a child) – the lack of guile or corruption children possess when they are free from the responsibilities and knowledge of evil required of adults to protect themselves and others.

​

Maturity level -- the level of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual development consistent with her/his age and stage in life. Individuals can readily process information and circumstances commensurate with their level of maturity. Burdening a person with knowledge and responsibilities beyond their level of maturity may lead to excessive growth in one area at the expense of others.

 

Moral education – the training of heart and mind toward the good.

​

Parental rights doctrine – the doctrine that parents possess a fundamental right to raise their children as they see fit and that parents are best suited for making decisions about their children’s moral upbringing, education, health, and development. 

 

Reproductive Healthcare – medical care that preserves the healthy functioning of male and female reproductive systems during all life stages.

 

Sex – the biological category defined at conception determined by sex chromosome patterns responsible for developing sex organs, endogenous hormonal profiles, genitalia, and other physical attributes. Human sex depends on gametes and is an objective, binary trait, with exceptions due to chromosomal mutations. Sex is innate and immutable and a fundamental human characteristic of an individual that remains constant throughout one’s lifetime.

 

Sex Education – the education of children in the biological categories of male and female created by the physiological differences between the sexes, including chromosomes, sex organs, and hormonal profiles, enabling children to understand their changing bodies and the natural functions of genitalia and the human reproductive system.

 

Science – the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, reproducible experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained.