More than 60 Muslim and Coptic Christian parents stood together Thursday night at the Jersey City Board of Education meeting to denounce the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (LGBT) curriculum mandated by the state, claiming it violates their First Amendment rights.

Last January Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law that requires schools teach middle- and high-schoolers about the political, economic, and social contributions of LGBT people starting in 2020-21.

The Rev. Thomas Nashed, of the St. George & St. Shenouda Church on Bergen Avenue, said the critics of the curriculum are not trying to tell others how to live, but think it is a form of LGBT indoctrination.

“We respect, love and tolerate everyone the same, as we are all the creation of God, “said Nashed, who is also a parent. “The schools have a duty to educate the children, not to sexualize them and force our kids to have sexual education by labeling everything to a sexual orientation, therefore stripping away their innocence.

“Let’s be clear it is the parent’s right and only the parent’s right to teach their own children such matters.”

New Jersey is only the second state in the nation after California to pass a law requiring LGBT curriculum, which will determined by the board. The Department of Education sets academic standards but does not write curriculum.

Board members noted that the LGBT curriculum is mandated by the state, and is restricted to the LGBT contributions in history. They also pushed back against the argument that somehow the First Amendment rights of critics of the new curriculum will be violated.

Trustee Gerald Lyons, who is gay, said he was eager to step out while those against the curriculum spoke. He read the First Amendment aloud and explained to them that it is not being violated.

“These curricula provide exposure to the differences in our community,” said Lyons. “They can address prejudice that lead to hateful actions by allowing students to learn that although our neighbors may have differences from us, we are all more alike than different.”

Garden State Equality, a statewide LGBT advocacy group who helped devise the curriculum currently being taught in 12 pilot schools, said LGBT history is American history. LGBT members have made historic contributions moving the country forward, just like women, immigrants and people of color.

“To tell our youth that our community doesn’t exist would be to teach them fiction,” GSE spokesperson Jon Oliveira said Friday. “We are not talking about or indoctrinating youth about the private lives of any individual or community.”

In the pilot schools, GSE held meetings with parents to explain the curriculum. While there are not plans to meet with every school before the curriculum is implemented in September, Oliveira said Garden State Equality would visits individual schools if asked.

“I don’t think there is a single social issue that has 100 percent universal support of every voter in every state or nationwide,” Oliveira said. “LGBT-inclusive curriculum reduces the rate of bullying, harassment and intimidation in schools, it improves attendance and it also improves academic outcomes.

“LGBTQ youth deserve to see themselves reflected in the classroom, they deserve to know they have a place in society, they deserve to know and that they can achieve all the great things that everyone else did before them as well.”