A teachers' union in Alberta, Canada made parental rights advocates very upset after it created a new toolkit promoting gender fluidity in schools.
The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) wants teachers to discuss LGBTQ issues with students as well as stage "drag" performances as part of the school curriculum. They also want schools to start referring to students as "comrades" instead of "boys" and "girls," and have students play an active role in letter-writing campaigns advocating LGBTQ rights internationally, according to Life Site News.
The teachers drafted the 150-page "Prism Toolkit for safe and caring discussions," which they hoped would be used from Grades 7 to 12. The toolkit, which was released on Oct. 31, will be provided free of charge to every ATA member.
On page 22, the ATA provided teachers with a list of "gender inclusive" terms such as "comrades" and "folks." For parental figures, they suggested teachers use "guardian" or "caretaker" instead of "mother" or "father." And for significant others, they thought it would be a great idea to replace "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" with "crush" or "sweetheart."
On page 23, pronouns such as "he," "she," "him," and "hers" have been modified to "zer," "xe," "zher," and "perself." The toolkit requires teachers and students to use these new pronouns in the classroom.
But Donna Trimble, executive director of Parents for Choice in Education, did not like what the ATA did. She said the toolkit is "definitely discriminatory," since "it makes a judgment statement that gender fluidity is the only idea that really is acceptable."
She added that the toolkit discriminates "against a large swath of Alberta citizens, students and families that have a Biblical perspective of gender."
Trimble finds it troubling that the toolkit would be "embedded in the curriculum, and permeate the entire process," which would give parents little say on the matter.
Meanwhile, fellow parental rights advocate Theresa Ng revealed on her blog that the Prism Toolkit would incorporate gender and LGBTQ issues in math, science, biology, drama, language arts and social studies, and religion lessons.
"Grade 7-12 students have no choice to decline these lessons, which happen during mandated instructional time, and are powerless to object to their learning time being used toward political activism for the advancement of LGBTQ rights or watching a school-wide drag performance," she wrote.
What's worse, the toolkit suggested that teachers promote "Drag 101" as a lesson plan for drama and cosmetology class. In page 118, it stated that "students may want to invite local drag queens to come to the school to teach makeup and hair techniques. Students may also want to organise a drag performance for the school."
