Students are to “think critically about identity and intersectionality,” according to an educator toolkit.
QUICK FACTS:
- Elementary schools across Los Angeles, California, are engaging in a week-long celebration between October 9–13 for “National Coming Out Day.”
- The Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education sent educators a “Week of Action Toolkit” for LGBTQ lesson plans and activities for children as young as five years old.
- “Please feel free to use a few of ALL of the lesson plans and activities included, as well as create some of your own,” the toolkit says, implying that teachers cannot opt out of the activities.
- Some of the activities include an “Identity Map,” where students draw a picture representing their race, gender identity, religion, sexuality, and other areas.
- Teachers are encouraged to share the “Identity Maps” with the school district.
- As part of the lesson on gender, elementary students will be given prompts such as, “Who am I? What did I learn about my identities?”; Something new I learned about someone in my class today was…”; “What does it mean to feel good about myself?”; and “How can I be proud of who I am and celebrate others?”
- At the end of the week, students will take a “Pledge of Allyship” for LGBTQ activism and support.
HIGHLIGHTED FIGURES IN THE TOOLKIT:
- On Monday, students will learn about Jazz Jennings, a social media personality.
- Tuesday will feature Marsha P. Johnson, a leading figure in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, an “American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen,” according to the toolkit.
- Wednesday will feature lessons surrounding actress Ellen Page, who transitioned to become “Elliot.”
- WNBA athlete Layshia Clarendon is the primary figure for Thursday. Clarendon identifies as “Black, gay, female, non-cisgender, and Christian,” the toolkit tells educators, adding that Clarendon is also “transgender and nonbinary.”
- On Friday, elementary students will learn about NFL defensive lineman Carl Nassib, the “first openly gay active NFL player.”
BACKGROUND:
- A recent Project Veritas investigation led to the discovery that the LGBTQ nonprofit, HiTOPS, was implementing a sexualized curriculum in New Jersey schools.
- Hannah Weirs, a HiTOPS Health Educator, revealed that “a note would get sent home and say… ‘next week we’re talking about anatomy, or you know, gender identity.’ And a parent could send a form back saying, ‘you have to pull my child.’ And so… I think our real goal would be to make sure that that opt out doesn’t exist.”
- “They all have school-issued…laptops,” she said. “Which can be nice because then they can send out…a google form. Like, remind me what name you like to be called. Remind me what pronouns you like to use.”
- When questioned by the undercover journalist whether this communication bypassed parents, Wiers confirmed, “That’s what we encourage staff to do, yes.”
