A preschool in Wake County, North Carolina, is under investigation after a concerned parent complained that the students were taught about colors using flashcards showing a pregnant man.
North Carolina House Speaker Rep. Tim Moore confirmed the investigation in a statement on his official site. He said that Rep. Erin Paré received the complaint via email along with the images of the LGBTQIA+-themed flashcards that showed the pregnant man.
The material depicts a drawing of a pregnant person with short hair who was embraced by another person with long hair. The flashcard had the word "white" on it.
Moore detailed that Paré reached out to the principal at Ballentine Elementary School, who discussed the matter with the concerned teacher. The principal also said that teaching colors is part of the curriculum, but she was not aware of the specific materials used with the children.
The superintendent and human resources head of the Wake County Public School System were also informed of the incident. The school district has not detailed any sanctions for the teacher while the investigations are ongoing, but they have assured parents that the flashcards are no longer in the classroom.
North Carolina Hearing on New Bill about Gender Identity
The news comes after the state's lawmakers had their first hearing of a new North Carolina House Bill 755 that would ban the mention of gender identity or sexual orientation from kindergarten through the third grade. If passed, the bill will let schools notify parents if their children are using different pronouns or different names for themselves. Failure to notify the parents could lead to lawsuits for the teachers or the schools.
The lawmakers said that this bill was akin to a "Parental Bill of Rights" that gives parents control over conversations about sexuality and gender with their kids when it is age-appropriate. However, critics said it is similar to Florida's "Don't Say Gay Bill," which was recently signed into law.
Equality advocates, however, criticized the bill. In a statement, Equality NC said this is an attack on LGBTQIA+ youngsters, their parents, and LGBTQIA+ educators.
"We are saddened that our politicians have ignored the lessons to be learned from other states where harmful bills have already proved devastating to young people, Shoshanna Carroll," the communications director said.
Similar Bills Proposed in the Other States
According to NPR, more than a dozen states have similar bills for deliberation with lawmakers. While the specifics vary depending on the state, the general tone of the proposal bans schools from discussing topics about sexual identity or gender with the students. Experts, however, said these laws are controversial because they will limit young people to "live to their fullest potential" and compound homophobia or transphobia.
In most U.S. schools, sexual identity or gender are not taught until the kids are in second grade. However, as some children have gay or lesbian parents, matters related to gender are still discussed when the subject relates to families. According to advocates, the bill may create feelings of alienation for children in these families if their teachers or schools are barred from showing support and affirmation.
