Last April, President Joe Biden made headlines when he said, “School children don’t belong to parents when they’re in the classroom.” Taking Biden’s lead, school teachers, board members, and administrators have echoed various versions of the statement in recent months; now it seems that parents have had enough.
According to The Western Journal, a defiant middle school teacher in Heyworth, Illinois, resigned after parents pushed back when she “tried to force the LGBT agenda on her students.”
In an interview with Today, Sarah Bonner, a teacher of 20 years, defended her decision and recalled what happened: “It started on Monday, March 13, 2023, when we held … a ‘book tasting’ for students.”
“I wanted to give them a smattering of fiction and nonfiction to choose from on a day that we call ‘Reading Monday,” Bonner, 42, told Today. “We just read and celebrate books.”
One of the books presented to the 12- and 13-year-olds was Juno Dawson’s “This Book Is Gay,” promoted by its publisher as an entertaining and informative instruction manual for anyone coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans.
At least one student did not think the book was appropriate and took pictures of several pages of the recommended literature with a cell phone.
Bonner, winner of the 2019 “Outstanding Middle Level Educator” award, stated that “by Wednesday, I received notice that parents had gotten a hold of pictures from that book that their child had taken in class.”
Bonner added: “By Friday, I was told that parents had filed a police report against me for child endangerment.”
Sarah Bonner defended her actions by stating that in recent years there has been a sharp increase in children “confused” about their sexuality and “declaring themselves as transgender.”
Many parents argue that books on Bonner’s recommended reading list add to the confusion and demand input on curricula and assignments that concern sexuality.
Of particular concern is the advocation of materials that lead children to pursue irreparable gender assignment surgeries or procedures without parental consent.
Earlier this month, California proudly announced it had become the first true transgender sanctuary state and invited minors, without parental consent, to come to the state for gender reassignment surgeries.
Bonner told NBC News she simply desired to expose her middle schoolers to diversity.
Amazon’s description for the book in question reads:
Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. Queer. Intersex. Straight. Curious. This book is for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual preference. This book is for anyone who’s ever dared to wonder. This book is for YOU.
This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBTQ also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations.
Parents argue that “This Book Is Gay” includes non-age-appropriate graphics and descriptions of topics, including “the ins and outs of gay sex.”
Noting how parents viewed the material as harmful for their children, the police report alleges Bonner is guilty of “child endangerment,” legally defined as occurring when “an adult responsible for the care of a child endangers the health or life of that child through the adult’s recklessness, negligence, or indifference.”
Bonner chose to resign rather than apologize or acknowledge an error in judgment. She told NBC News she felt compelled to resign because she “didn’t feel safe.” The school board accepted her resignation.
The Western Journal noted it was unclear what the “police intend to do with the complaint.”
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