DeWitt Public Schools in Michigan decided to cancel a planned elementary classroom mini-lesson focusing on pronoun lessons and gender identity following community backlash.
The lesson, initially designed as a voluntary activity for a first-grade class, aimed to foster greater understanding, compassion, and kindness regarding gender identity and pronoun usage.
The district had notified parents and guardians beforehand, providing them with the option to opt out of their children's participation in the lesson.
Michigan School Retreats on Gender Identity Pronoun
A Michigan public school has decided to retract its plans for an elective mini-lesson on pronouns for elementary students due to the online harassment faced by its staff.
The criticism against the lesson began recently and quickly gained traction online. The school, situated north of Lansing in DeWitt, responded by increasing police and administrative presence, as stated by the district.
Various social media groups, including Libs of Tiktok and Moms for Liberty, amplified opposition by sharing an interview clip from WILX-TV with a parent against the lesson, though it wasn't clarified that participation was optional.
The lesson aimed to introduce they/them pronouns to students who identify outside traditional gender pronouns. It was structured around the book "They, She, He, Me: Free to Be!" by Matthew Sg and Maya Christina Gonzalez, focusing on inclusive themes.
The district emphasized that the lesson was intended to foster understanding and inclusivity among all students, aligning with its core values. Superintendent Shanna Spickard clarified that the goal was not to challenge or alter family beliefs but to create a safe and respectful learning environment.
"The mini-lesson is not designed to challenge or alter family beliefs," she continued. "Instead, it aims to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment."
School Administration Receives Online Harassment
Superintendent Shanna Spickard of DeWitt Public Schools, through a Facebook post, disclosed that staff members had been subjected to inappropriate and threatening communications via calls, emails, and social media.
Some staff members also faced doxxing, with personal details about their families and children shared online to intimidate them.
Expressing concern, Spickard stated that despite the majority of these communications originating from outside our community, several staff members have expressed heightened anxiety, stress, and fear of attending school.
The district has taken proactive measures by coordinating with local law enforcement and increasing both police and administrative presence.
State Rep. Steve Carra, a Three Rivers Republican, voiced criticism of the lesson on Facebook, garnering significant engagement. "Hire me to teach the kids," Carra's post read, presenting a view opposing the lesson's content and emphasizing traditional gender norms.
Carra added, "'Little Jack, you're a boy even if you pretend to be a girl. Other people shouldn't be forced to pretend along with you. Your pronouns are he/him.' Great, now back to reading, writing, and arithmetic."
Spickard reiterated the district's collaboration with law enforcement and the heightened security measures in place.
She added, "The goal of the voluntary mini-lesson was to help promote Dewitt Public Schools' vision of a safe, nurturing, and supportive learning environment where all learners can succeed."
Regrettably, it has evolved into a significant disruption and detracts from their vision, creating feelings of insecurity among our staff, administrators, and students.
