Schools Are Deliberately Deceiving Parents

Sharing and expanding upon my most recent column in my local paper

I write a monthly column in my local paper, The Valley Breeze—many call it by its nickname, ‘The Breeze.’ It’s that kind of paper. Unlike so much of my work that is more national in nature, my local paper allows me to reach a totally different audience, including many readers who are never going to stumble upon my work on Twitter or in an online publication. People can pick up this free paper at all the local donut and coffee places, supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores. It comes out every Thursday.

My column this week has stirred up much more reaction than most and I have personally heard from more people than ever before. Since most of my Substack readers are unlikely to come across the column, I have decided to share it here and expand a bit on what I said in the 600 words I am allowed.

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This column is only about the sanctioned deception of parents. Contrary to what critics, including local teachers, have publicly claimed it says, there is nothing in it to disparage children who are gender dysphoric or grappling with their gender identity or any other part of their identity. It is true that districts in my state and around the country have made gender ideology part of the curriculum, usually under the umbrella of “health education” even in the early elementary grades. But this particular column is not about that.

I reviewed actual gender support plans with my own eyes to confirm that they are being implemented without any parental notification or involvement. Teachers, counselors and office staff have confirmed all of it. Parents shared stories of the emotional and mental health related consequences they have witnessed in their children during the time they were on a plan without their parents’ knowledge. I also spoke to parents who were involved in the creation of the support plan for their child. In those cases, there was no deception. The column is not about them either.

People can and do disagree about the bedrock principle of parental rights as it relates to the role of schools. Robust debate can and should be had. But we all need to know what is actually happening before that can happen and far too often, parents have no idea. The purpose of the column was to tell the truth about the deception that is baked into the gender support plans in many of the schools that our children attend (and we fund!) Some cheer this truth. Others believe it to be a betrayal. What matters is that they know.

Below is a gender support plan from a public middle school in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Department of Education guidance is here.

Barrington Schools’ Transgender protocol and support plan can be viewed here. Below is a screenshot of part of the first page. To view the whole plan, go to the link and scroll down to page 11.

And here is a Twitter thread by journalist and author Abigail Shrier about a middle school in New York.

Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier

Here is a redacted "Gender Support Plan" in place in a NY middle school district, sent to me by the mom of a 12 year old girl. The school district kept this "gender change" secret from mom, and mom might not have known about it at all, but for the guilty conscience of a teacher.

Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier

For much of the daughter's 7th grade, the school was not only referring to her daughter by a boy's name, it was providing the daughter with "gender counseling" and providing this "gender support" - all a secret from the child's parents.

Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier

If you visit the school's website, under the "counseling" tab, you'll find this fun cartoon for students: sites.google.com/skanschools.or…. Click on the LGBTQ+ poster icon in the hip principal's office. It will direct you to the "Q Center" at ACR Health:

acrhealth.orgThe Q Center - ACR HealthThe Q Center at ACR Health is a safe spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth, their families, and allies to gather, share, and receive support. Q Center programming promotes equality, celebrates diversity, provides resources that cultivate pride and leadership sk…

Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier

From there, you can access this "Trans Resource Guide," directing you to area hormone providers, gender surgeons, and places where you can obtain a breast binder. acrhealth.org/wp-content/upl… All this is meant to be accessed by middle school kids in the public school district.

Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier

I post all of this with the permission of the mom. Parents: Your kids need you. (End)