A proposed elective curriculum on gender pronouns, such as “ze” and “tree,” for first graders at Schavey Road Elementary School in DeWitt was recently canceled by a school district in Michigan on account of safety concerns and substantial opposition. The decision was announced by DeWitt Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Shanna Spickard, who cited disruptions to the institution’s mission of providing a secure, nurturing, and supportive learning environment as the reason for the change.
With the goal of fostering inclusion and embracing diversity, the lesson’s objective was to assist students in investigating and comprehending pronouns via literature and discussion. Subsequent to the lesson’s announcement, the school district inundated it with a deluge of inappropriate, irate, and menacing correspondence, many of which cited Maya Gonzalez’s “They She He Me: Free to Be!” as an example. This literary work acquaints young readers with nonbinary gender pronouns and concepts, while also promoting an inclusive perspective on identity.
Staff members began to feel insecure as a result of the escalating backlash; consequently, administrative and police presence at the school was increased as a precaution. This staff-wide sense of apprehension and dread was the principal factor in the cancellation of the lesson.
In light of the cancellation, Republican House candidate Tom Barrett expressed elation and emphasized the criticality of protecting young children from what he deemed to be objectionable material in educational environments. Barrett’s declaration encapsulated a sentiment that was widely acknowledged within the community: the lesson in question was unsuitable for first graders.
The potential lesson had provided parents with the opportunity to withdraw their child, indicating an understanding of the delicate subject matter. Nevertheless, this controversy highlights the more extensive discourse at the national level regarding the most effective approach for educational institutions to take when confronted with gender and identity-related matters, particularly as they pertain to young pupils.
Superintendent Spickard underscored in her communications that although the lesson’s objective was to promote inclusivity, which is a district-wide value, the prioritization of staff and student safety and well-being necessitated the cancellation of the program. The occurrence at DeWitt Public Schools serves as an illustration of the difficulties educators encounter when attempting to address social and cultural concerns within the educational framework.