Principal Apologizes For Promoting Transgender Book To Kindergartners
A Minnesota principal has gone viral for promoting a transgender children's story, which she now is apologizing for suggesting students read.
Gender identity and inclusivity have become a major push in public schools. Some see it as a means to promote equity for LGBTQ+ students, assuring they feel welcomed and included. But others fight back against these types of initiatives, fearing it is indoctrinating students and taking away from core academic lessons. In the latest instance of a school getting caught in the crosshairs of these contentious debates, a Minnesota principal went viral for suggesting a transgender novel to young children, which she now has apologized for promoting. See the video below.
Four days ago, Stacy DeCorsey, the principal of Excelsior Elementary School, shared a video of her summer reading suggestions for school students and parents. One such book she mentioned would be a great read for Kindergarten, first, and second graders was a pro-transgender children’s book by Erica Silverman titled Jack (Not Jackie). Since being shared across social media outlets and ridiculed, the Minnesota principal has taken down her video and issued an apology to her local community.
The book in question is aimed at informing young students about other children and non-conforming gender roles. Narrated from the point of view of an older sibling, the storyteller discusses how her sister likes to dress like a boy, and doesn’t like to play in similar ways to other girls. As the little sister grows, she asks to identify as a boy, which the mother assures the older sibling is okay. The Minnesota principal praised the book for its simplistic message of acceptance to all students, no matter how they wish to identify.
The video was shared by popular conservative social media accounts like Libs Of TikTok, where right-wing users lambasted the Minnesota principal for promoting a book that depicts a young toddler identifying as the opposite gender to which they were born. Some users compared the educator to a groomer for suggesting the book be read to young students. Others pointed out that it is possible to support transgender rights without pushing these types of literacy on young children just entering their school years.
After going viral, the Minnesota principal posted another one to the elementary school’s Facebook page to apologize. She noted that she had taken the previous book suggestion post down, and acknowledged that her approval of the book had “struck a nerve” with some community members. In her original post about the transgender children’s book, she announced that the novel would be available for students to check out in the school library. Noting that while some parents disapproved of this type of literacy, she pointed out that other parents seek transgender affirming stories out, and asserted that it isn’t required reading material.
Books are being censored and banned from school library shelves at historic rates. Concerning some, the majority of questioned books being ridiculed by some parents all center around LGBTQ+ subject matter. While many commenters on the Libs Of Tik Tok post ousting the Minnesota principal for sharing the transgender book criticized her for it, others pointed out that the overall message the book conveyed to young children was to be accepting of their peers, despite whether or not they appear different. For these exact reasons, Stacy DeCorsey felt it important to share the book as a means to be inclusive for all students in her community.
