Remember the goal is to remove anything positive about gays / trans kids, to remove any anti-bullying programs, with the goal of wiping out LGBTQIA visibility in society. That will lead back to the horrible abuse of kids who are different as in the past. We have to find a way to stop this. Remember this is the same school that had the fundamentalist religious person on the board sneak a religious film crew in to take video and interview students. Please look at the actions the board / school districts have taken against LGBTQIA students. The effort was described below by one person interviewed, but to put it in my own words, they want to roll back all advances in acceptance, tolerance, and equality of anyone who is not straight and cis. To remove all protections for kids who are different, who might be LGBTQIA, or not straight or not cis. It is to enshrine church views / doctrines into rules and laws. Return society to what as allowed in the 1950s, which these people feel makes go happy because it makes them feel happy, good, and important. Hugs. Scottie
“What I see driving it now is an ugly push to deny LGBTQ rights and identity that, in some states, is being enshrined in law,” he said.
The Keller ISD school board recently passed policies decried as discriminatory to LGBTQ students.
Timber Creek High School parents received an email Friday night saying that students would no longer perform the show this spring.(NBC5)
A Keller high school production of The Laramie Project — a play about the aftermath of the 1998 murder of a gay student in Wyoming — was canceled.
Timber Creek High School parents received an email Friday night saying that students would no longer perform the show this spring. The email did not provide an explanation.
Community members are now rallying to reinstate the production, launching an online petition that has received more than 1,300 signatures so far.
“This play is a poignant depiction of queer history,” the petition reads. “By banning this play, we are not only suppressing an important piece of history but also denying our students a chance to understand and empathize with the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community. … It’s essential that our education system works towards creating awareness about these issues rather than shying away from them.”
In the brief email to families, school leaders said they are “working on developing an alternative production opportunity for our students.”
“We understand that it is unusual for a production change like this to take place. Students will still have an opportunity to read, discuss, and analyze the play during the school day,” they wrote.
District spokesman Bryce Nieman said in a statement that the decision was “made by many stakeholders.”
“The decision to move forward with another production at Timber Creek High School was based on the desire to provide a performance similar to the ones that have created much excitement from the community, like this year’s Keller ISD musical productions of Mary Poppins and White Christmas,” Nieman wrote in an email.
Mary Anne Weatherred, whose son was supposed to perform in The Laramie Project, said she’s concerned about a pattern of anti-LGBTQ decisions in Keller.
If people don’t agree with the message of the show, she said, then they shouldn’t come watch it.
“But they don’t need to take it away from the kids,” she said.
The Laramie Project, which is often performed in high schools across the country, explores the community’s reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who was attacked, tied to a fence in a field and left to die.
His brutal death became a symbol of anti-LGBTQ violence and helped fuel the fight for expanded hate crime legislation.
Judy Shepard, Matthew’s mother and president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, said she’s seen a spike in attempts to cancel productions of the show in recent years.
“My heart is broken when people still refuse to see how important this work is,” she said.
Shepard said the play can hold particular resonance for high schoolers, who are only a few years younger than her son was when he died.
“It might scare some kids. And it might wake some kids up. And it might make kids want to make change — all of those things. And they have the power to do it,” she added.
Roughly 25 years since his murder, many lawmakers and local school boards are targeting the rights of LBGTQ students.
Keller school trustees voted last year to establish rules stating that district employees “shall not promote, encourage, or require the use of pronouns that are inconsistent with a student’s or other person’s biological sex.” This means someone could intentionally use the wrong pronouns when referring to a transgender or nonbinary child.
Before that, the school board approved a policy prohibiting library books across all grade levels that include the discussion of gender fluidity.
A Keller ISD trustee resigned earlier this month after parental outcry over a film crew that was brought into a school without families’ knowledge or consent. Parents were enraged when they saw the crew was part of an evangelical network from the Netherlands.
The Matthew Shepard Foundation’s goal is to “create an environment where people are afforded an opportunity to discuss the play and its messages, the hate they encounter in their own lives, and how they can work collectively to build a more understanding and compassionate community.”
“We know educators are worried about the current wave of legislation mandating what they can and can’t teach,” the association’s director, Jennifer Katona, said in a statement. “What’s concerning about these results is the potential impact of self-censorship. School theatre should be a way for students to explore diverse perspectives, which helps them develop empathy and critical thinking.”
A different North Texas district recently triggered national outrage when a transgender teenager was removed from his part in the school musical. The community rallied to get him reinstated in his leading male role.
Howard Sherman, managing director of the performing arts center at Baruch College in Manhattan, is an arts advocate who tracks and fights against instances of theater censorship in schools.
“What I see driving it now is an ugly push to deny LGBTQ rights and identity that, in some states, is being enshrined in law,” he said.
Hearing that Keller ISD wanted to instead put on a show more like Mary Poppins or White Christmas, Sherman said those are great shows that have a place on the high school stage.
“But they shouldn’t be the only kinds of shows because that is not preparing students for college, for the real world,” Sherman said. “Students shouldn’t be relegated to escapism or assumed to not be capable of handling mature themes.”
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
Earlier this month this same school district was infiltrated by an evangelical group who filmed students without their permission. A school board member who reportedly helped sneak in the film crew later resigned.
Texas high school production of The Laramie Project – a play about the aftermath of the 1998 murder of a gay student in Wyoming – was canceled, without explanation. School board has recently passed other policies that discriminate against LGBTQ students https://t.co/OFfyLKsQ3H
More than 25 years after the murder of Matthew Shepard, young people still face hate and death due to their LGBTQ+ identities. @KellerISD should be ashamed for cancelling "The Laramie Project," which shows how hate poisons communities. https://t.co/MVP9JCwlCq
Well, you can’t let good ChristStain children learn that the hate their parents are spewing lead to the brutal death of an innocent young man whose only crime was being born the way he was born.
One of the reasons for Theatre to be a part of our lives is that it causes people to think. Mary Poppins is not about thinking. White Christmas is not about thinking.
The Laramie project is intended to get people to think. For that reason alone, it would be anathema in Texas .
Meanwhile, the 2nd grade rendition of “Showgirls” (featuring pageant winners Marabelle and Lindsey!) will continue to be performed at the Timber Creek Saloon.
I still remember all those years ago when we had a memorial for Matthew Shepard. We were handed out stickers(which I still have) that read “We’re all Matthew Shepard” It’s the truth these days.
In the seventies, of the six plays we did each year, one was required to be a classic. After casting, but before rehearsal, Lysistrata had to be replaced with The Trojan Women due to one Harper Valley hypocrite.
What are the odds that they will “chose” Godspell or some other Christian-infused pablum? Not Jesus Christ Superstar, that is too “rock,” and not the Jesus-Is-My-Rock type, either.
This trash thinks he is both a Christian and worth to be a legislator. There is no Christian state! The US by the constitution can not have a state / national religion, and children who are not following their strict church doctrines are not filth. A 16 year old was beaten in a bathroom for being different! In the US. And this clown is proud of it. Is that what we want the US to be, to look like? I saw this and I was stunned at the absolute inhumanity of what he is saying. Hugs. Scottie
“We are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state — we are a moral state. We want to lower taxes and let people be able to live and work and go to the faith they choose.
“We are a Republican state and I’m going to vote my district, and I’m going to vote my values, and we don’t want that in the state of Oklahoma.” GOP Oklahoma state Sen. Tom Woods, when asked about the death of nonbinary teen student Nex Benedict.
Listen to the applause below.
After a non-binary teen’s death, GOP lawmakers were asked why they obsessed over the lives of LGBTQ people.
State Sen. Tom Woods gave the worst possible answer: he wanted to “keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state.”https://t.co/HrIOkhRVXA
There’s a lot to be disgusted by here, but do not overlook the fact that Christian nationalist language is being used to justify the death of a non-binary student — with absolute authority & confidence. ———
That “filth” was A CHILD !! To use one of their own parlances, “That was one of God’s children” of whose demise this cruel, evil, self-righteous & souless creature glories in.
White Nationalists absolutely believe that. I remember having a step dad who was a licensed Pastor who was one of them. Blacks and Jews were also singled out as Satan’s spawn and therefore hating and even killing them was seen as righteous.
Dehumanizing people makes it easy to be cruel to them.
So my take away here is in your/Oklahoma’s definition of”filth “ is non binary children . The sooner they commit suicide or die off the better Oklahoma will be. It’s so damming Christian of you . You heartless cold bigoted snot . How the fuck can you even look at yourself in a mirror. No I guess you type cast no image
Well, they already passed a law here in Oklahoma to take away the option for non binary people to change their birth certificate and they proposed a bill this legislative session to do the same for the rest of us.
With Steve Bannon cheering, CPAC opens with these chilling words: “Welcome to the end of democracy.” The Trump cult rallies round the fight for theocracy. https://t.co/EvWsviZvKA
“Welcome to the end of democracy. We're here to overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there on January 6th, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here…Because all glory is to God.” pic.twitter.com/55FWokeeVI
That this complete buffoon is even considered for the office of president is such a shitshow it blows my mind. That he is the leader of a cult following that seems as clownish and backward as he is. I watched Jimmy Kimmel the other day, even posted it, where they asked trump republicans something they claimed that Joe Biden said. The people being asked the question then went on rants about how that showed Biden clearly unfit for office and so on. When told it was really tRump that said it those same people complete changed their view finding somehow to praise tRump for it. It was great if they thought tRump said it, great stuff, but if Biden said it they wanted him put in a home. It shows they are a cult, and it also shows their ability to think and reason. Hugs. Scottie
“I sat with the pilots. the best-looking human beings I’ve ever seen. Not my thing. but they are handsome. Central casting. Better looking than Tom Cruise and taller.
“I see my staff and I said, ‘Let me ask you a question. Is the president of the United States allowed to give himself the Congressional Medal of Honor because I did a very brave thing?’
“I was so brave. Am I allowed to do it? And they said, ‘Sir, it would not be a good thing to do.’ Now here’s the problem with that story. The fake news media will lead tomorrow, ‘Donald Trump wanted to give himself the congressional.’” – Hair Furor, today at CPAC.
Wikipedia: The Medal of Honor is the United States Armed Forces’ highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States (the commander in chief of the armed forces) and is presented “in the name of the United States Congress.”
Trump brings up the "J6 hostages" and claims, "there has never been in the history of our country a group of people treated the way they've been treated." pic.twitter.com/jT9eQTzN3Z
We've reached the ranting about water pressure part of Trump's speech: "In Beverly Hills, you pay a fortune in taxes, they say you can only brush your teeth once a day" pic.twitter.com/fQJDfP3Qb7
The insanity and narcissism is beyond belief!! WTF is he talking about?? Bravery in what way?? He is completely off the rails with everything. I want to spit on anyone who says they still support this guy. Or slap them into reality.
20 years ago, any one of those statements would have immediately made him a laughingstock and his political career would have been finished. I miss those days.
“Is the president of the United States allowed to give himself the Congressional Medal of Honor because I did a very brave thing?’”
How ANY veteran or active duty service member supports this fucking shitbag, I’ll never know. He’s never faced death and terror in battle, he’s never shit in the woods or slept in the dirt. He’s never been away from family and friends for months on end (unless he wanted to be). He has ZERO understanding of service or sacrifice or honor or commitment.
And let’s not forget that he dodged the draft, I think, 3 times due to ‘bone spurs’ in his foot during the Vietnam War. Sgt Bone Spurs deserves NOTHING from this country, PERIOD!
One of the most irritating things Trump says is, “never before in the history of our country…” blah blah blah. As if Trump has a clear grasp of what happened last week, let alone the 250-year history of our country.
Exactly. And Trump himself is responsible for all the best things that ever happened, and Biden, the Democrats and RINOs are responsible for all the worst.
The tRump party is not so slowly being taken over by Nazis. Why? Because hatred. The party has long been the home of racist, and few do racism as openly and fervently as Nazis. Is this the look the people of the US want associated with the US? Hugs. Scottie.
The presence of these extremists has been a persistent issue at CPAC, and in previous years conference organizers have ejected well-known Nazis and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes.
The Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 23.Mandel Ngan / AFP – Getty Images
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Nazis appeared to find a friendly reception at the Conservative Political Action Conference this year.
Throughout the conference, racist extremists, some of whom had secured official CPAC badges, openly mingled with conference attendees and espoused antisemitic conspiracy theories.
The presence of these individuals has been a persistent issue at CPAC. In previous years, conference organizers have ejected well-known Nazis and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes.
But this year, racist conspiracy theorists didn’t meet any perceptible resistance at the conference where Donald Trump has been the keynote speaker since 2017.
At the Young Republican mixer Friday evening, a group of Nazis who openly identified as national socialists mingled with mainstream conservative personalities, including some from Turning Point USA, and discussed so-called “race science” and antisemitic conspiracy theories.
One member of the group, Greg Conte, who attended the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, said that his group showed up to talk to the media. He said that the group was prepared to be ejected if CPAC organizers were tipped off, but that never happened.
Another, Ryan Sanchez, who was previously part of the Nazi “Rise Above Movement,” took photos and videos of himself at the conference with an official badge and touted associations with Fuentes.
Other attendees in Sanchez’s company openly used the N-word.
For several years, CPAC and its supporters have attempted to temper the most extreme fringes of the conservative movement, and have welcomed the continued debate between Trump and more moderate conservatives.
This year, however, some attendees and former attendees have expressed frustration with the conference’s stronger association with Trump and his wing of the party.
In one of the most viral moments from this year’s conference, conservative personality Jack Posobiec called for the end of democracy and a more explicitly Christian-focused government. While Posobiec later said his statements were partly satire, many CPAC attendees embraced his and others’ invocations of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
CPAC organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“At the Young Republican mixer Saturday evening a group of Nazis … mingled with mainstream conservative personalities, including some from Turning Point USA, and discussed race science and antisemitic conspiracy theories.” https://t.co/KmqaeY5zz7
Last night at a young Republican mixer I met Greg Conte and several of his friends.
They openly identify as National Socialists and within minutes of meeting them they began espousing anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. pic.twitter.com/TcKxj6erVE
Conte attended the Unite the Right rally and was a key ally of Richard Spencer.
I’m recent years, CPAC has been intentional about removing neo-Nazis from the conference. But several of Conte’s group had obtained CPAC badges and were openly talking about race science.
Ryan Sanchez, neo-Nazi, with Jared Taylor, a eugenics supporter at CPAC. Note Jared's name tag says Samuel Taylor, his pen-name on a newsletter called American Renaissance. pic.twitter.com/tJmUHUKiI4
Why should we be surprised? CPAC this year literally had keynote speakers calling for the violent overthrow of our government and the end of our democratic republic.
This is where our main stream media is failing us miserably. I can understand not covering “innuendo” and “dog whistles” in depth. But out and about Nazis at a Conservative Political Action Committee conference?! Which is the political arm of our Republican Party?! This should be front and center on our televisions and in our newspapers.
You’d think Fixed News would proudly blare it since it’s obviously what their viewing audience wants to hear. But they won’t because they know it would hurt their bottom line.
Read the full article. My first report on the bill is here. The bill’s author, state Sen. Mark Pody, has appeared here many times for his attacks on same-sex marriage. In 2016, he sought to “nullify” the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling. In 2017, he sponsored a bill calling for Tennessee to defy Obergefell entirely, and literally fled protesters at his press conference. In 2019, he filed the “Tennessee Natural Marriage Bill” that would void same-sex marriages, something he says God told him to do. In 2020, he filed a fourth attempt to make the bible the official book of Tennessee. In 2021, he filed a bill that would allow fathers to block abortions by their partners.
If you are a notary, government official, or religious figure in the state of Tennessee, you should refuse to solemnize ANY marriages between heterosexual couples as a violation of your conscience until Bill Lee's ghastly and unconstitutional law is put where it belongs. pic.twitter.com/VxGTFeZxtC
🚨New: Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee has signed a bill allowing public officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages. pic.twitter.com/R1QmPAlvyz
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that an embryo created through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is a “minor child” and is no different under the law from an unborn child in the womb.
I don’t understand this ruling at all. How even religious extremists could find a frozen embryo or any embryo a “minor child” defies all medical knowledge of biology. Of what cells are, of what happens in the reproductive track through the stages of fetal development. Hell I don’t even know it all to be honest and I read up on it. But medically at the point where it is not even implanted in a host it is not even a potential child. And that is all a pregnancy is until viability, a potential possible future maybe child that the body could expel at any time. There is no mystery that medically this makes no sense. So the real question is in 2024 is the US going to be governed by dark age superstitions or real medical science? But as always religious extremists can never be happy to win the right to force their views on some people, they must drive on until they have the right to force their religious superstitions on everyone. Yet they claim being forced to use a trans person’s preferred pronouns are an infringement of their civil rights, but the right to control female bodies and other people’s reproduction / sexual choices is normal and their right. Hell these people won’t take a vaccine to save hundreds of thousands of people from dying, they won’t wear a mask because it violates their civil rights. But telling people who they can have sex with, how they may dress, and what kind of sex they are allowed, and of course preventing life-saving medical procedures for pregnant people are somehow fine for them to do? I don’t have the stomach to repost the rant of the religious bigot group as they now try to use the Alabama ruling to force the state of Florida to disallow the abortion ballot measure. Please go to the link above and below to read them. Hugs. Scottie
The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday reversed Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Jill Parrish Phillips’ decision to dismiss a lawsuit in which a couple sued an Alabama fertility clinic and hospital for the “wrongful death” of their frozen embryos in a ruling that was riddled with theology. The ruling pointed to the Alabama Constitution Section 36.06, which argues that each person was made in God’s image, meaning each life has an incalculable value that “cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God.”
The Supreme Court of Alabama just ruled that life begins at conception and that every human—including the preborn baby—is made in the image of God.
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that frozen, unimplanted embryos qualify as human children under state law.
IVF has long been in the crosshairs of the anti-abortion movement, and this unprecedented decision immediately imperils all IVF access throughout Alabama. https://t.co/w0F6ttm6FY
The Republican-appointed Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that frozen, unimplanted embryos qualify as “children,” threatening access to IVF across the state.
Evangelical trump loving Jesus touting Christians who need to lie and sneak around the rules protecting children to get what they want. Because protecting kids only matters when they can use to deny LGBTQIA people exist and that kids are born that way. That it is OK to be LGBTQIA. No when it comes to pushing their version of Jesus they believe the laws / rules don’t apply to them. Every thing should be allowed them to push their Jesus on your kids, on all kids. So they lie, cheat, pretend they are not doing what they are or that they just did not know the rules. All in the name of Jesus. Hugs. Scottie.
As they stood together near Keller ISD’s Central High School on Friday, a group of parents shared their anger and frustration. “I’m livid,” said Laney Hawes, a parent whose child attends Central HS. “Our rights and our kids rights have been violated.” Their anger stems from what the district confirmed happened last Friday, February 9.
Sandi Walker, a school board trustee brought an Evangelical-based film crew into the high school to conduct interviews with her. Multiple students and parents told WFAA children were filmed and interviewed by the production crew without their consent. Trustee Micah Young was also involved in the filming.
Evangelische Omroep (EO), a Netherlands-based Evangelical broadcast television network previously produced the documentary: ‘God, Jesus, Trump.’ Elliot Mullaney, a freshman at Central High School said he witnessed the filming take place during his lunch hour.
Read the full article. The tweets below tell a fuller story so give them a minute to fully load. According to the video report, the film crew took advantage of the school’s principal being absent that day.
Let me tell you a story of how I found out our @KellerISD school board trustees snuck an Evangelist film crew into my child’s high school last week & filmed him & many other students without permission. 🧵/1 https://t.co/y47vFkPPKX
My son came home from school last week & told me a film crew from the Netherlands doing a documentary on “American schools” filmed him & his friends at lunch he said The school board was w/them. I called my mom friends. They were hearing similar stories from their kids. /2
I was immediately concerned. Our school board doesn’t talk to the “liberal news media.” It was the weekend, we made some calls. A district rep. confirmed to us that there was no official @KellerISD comms crew at the school that day. /3
I gathered all the pictures of the news crew I could find (teens take a lot of pictures). I went to the internet & searched “far right politics in the Netherlands.” Found a university proff who studies the far right in Europe. I emailed her the pictures w/ an explanation. /4
She emailed me back. She knew them. It was @TijsvandenBrink who recently produced a documentary called “God, Jesus, Trump.” He focuses his work on the evangelical embrace of Trump in America. She suggested maybe he was doing a follow-up to his documentary.” /5 pic.twitter.com/Sa5R3fyjoH
I called the principal. She was aware & investigating, she didn’t know who the crew was- I told her! The principal had been off campus Friday. Trustees lied to staff abt having permission. they have security Badges & district wide access. Staff had no reason to not believe them/6
These two @PatriotMobile funded trustees used my kid as a prop in their political games. Apparently one of them literally snuck in a side door. Kids heard them discuss & disparage “transgender teens.” They snuck one of our banned books into the library to show on camera. /7 pic.twitter.com/z26Uoago5w
We’d love to know what they were doing with this film crew. Likely some Christian nationalist story abt our trustees saving kids from “CRT & LGBT+ ideology & bad library books .” We’re guessing the film crew was also lied to-I hope they would never film children w/o permission/8
We’re demanding all trustees involved resign immediately. They’ve lost the trust of the community, they lied to staff & educators putting their jobs at risk, they sacrificed the safety of our kids for their political agenda. If they don’t resign we’ll exhaust all legal avenues./9 pic.twitter.com/QM5WzcCg6f
You can tell the Evangelicals are lying (how surprising!) because if they had no intention filming staff and students, why even bring a film crew to the school?
It’s amazing how readily “Christian” evangelists practice deceit and outright lying when it suits them. It’s almost like they aren’t really religious at all.
Christianity, like all religions, was based on deceit and lies – they call them “revelations” and “gospels” – and of course they’ve always lied and manipulated people to maintain their hold, once they were in control. So no change, business as usual.
I have first seen this on Joe My God. But it is on other news sites. This shows not only the bigotry and hate of these right wing hate groups, but how they use their influence to hurt and harm anyone they target, anyone they think doesn’t push their bigotry, hate, and regressive views. It is terrifying because they know what they are doing, and they know the result. They really want to push society to be regressive, to be 1950 along with wiping the people they hate from society, from public view. And they are clearly willing to use violence and threats of great harm to accomplish this. Total intolerance to other views than what they accept. They are a very dangerous threat to democracy and the idea of live and let live, to the idea of tolerance and acceptance. To them, they need to dictate, their way only, even as we have seen in Florida they do not practice what they demand as one of their leaders got caught enjoying having sex with others of the same sex and having relations out of marriage. Things they claim should be stopped and not be allowed to be talked about in public or in books in schools. As Joe mentions below, this woman and her group ignore the abuse of children by clergy to only attack public schools. The goal is to inspire hate, abuse, threats, and also gain attention for herself. All because of returning to a time when no one but straight cis mostly white people were allowed to be promoted in society and the rest were hidden along with vilified. It literally is terrorism via the internet to get her supporter thugs to attack the targets she selects. There are many more important comments at the Joe My God site, but I am far too tired to keep posting. Hugs. Scottie
Students have rallied behind the staff member after viral video from anti-LGBTQ account with vast following.
A Lewisville ISD staff member has been placed on administrative leave after a prominent right-wing social media account posted a video of him at school wearing a pink dress with matching boots and hat.(KXAS-TV )
4:29 PM on Feb 16, 2024 CST — Updated at 5:31 PM on Feb 16, 2024 CST
A Lewisville ISD staff member has been placed on administrative leave after a prominent right-wing social media account posted a video of him at school wearing a pink dress with matching boots and hat.
“This is an actual teacher in @LewisvilleISD,” the post reads. “How is this acceptable?!”
Students have defended the Hebron High School educator with a petition noting he was dressed up for spirit day.
District officials placed the man on leave Thursday after catching wind of the video, which had more than 4.3 million views by Friday afternoon on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“It would be natural for our families to have questions about this situation, but because this is a personnel matter currently under review, there is no additional information the district can share,” principal Amy Boughton said in a campus-wide email.
The staff member could not be reached for comment.
The district received complaints after Libs of TikTok, which has more than 2.8 million followers and is known for spreading anti-LGBTQ sentiment, posted the video on Valentine’s Day.
The post questioned whether it is acceptable for an educator to be “cosplaying as a woman and dress in drag at school.”
“It is our standard procedure to place a staff member on leave when we review concerns shared with the campus,” Lewisville spokesperson Amanda Brim said.
The video was also widely shared across other platforms.
Libs of TikTok posted images in replies to the initial video that appeared to be several years old. Other X users flooded Lewisville ISD’s account with the video and other photos.
More than 1,500 people have signed an online petition to bring the teacher off of administrative leave, adding that he was dressed up for spirit day.
“He does not deserve to be defamed and lose his job,” the petition reads. “He has been an inspiration to many students, and has created a space where everyone can feel valued and safe.”
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
Read the full article. Chaya Raichik and her army of cultists are harassing the school district superintendent and the school’s principal. As most of you know, in 2022 and 2023, I tagged Raichik in literally hundreds of news items about pedophile pastors, priests, and Christian school officials. She never once responded, but as you can see below, she spends a lot of time responding to others.
Of note, Spirit Day is an annual event launched in 2010 in response to a rash of student suicides related to anti-LGBTQ bullying.
Lewisville educator on leave after Libs of TikTok post shows him in dress for spirit day https://t.co/EXvLvZzt4S
UNREAL. This is an actual teacher in @LewisvilleISD named Rachmad Tjachyadi. I’m told he also sometimes shows up to teach dressed in full drag and has a f*tish for wearing women’s clothing.
There is absolutely no place for this mental illness in schools. Kids need to be able to go to school without distractions like this and just learn. That’s how it used to be. Our school system is so twisted now. These kids deserve to be protected from this creepy man.
I love how that hag uses innuendo in attacking this poor teacher. “I heard he loved dressing in women’s clothing…” That is truly the digital lynch mob.
You look fabulous and so fun, Lefty! And indeed, kids understand and appreciate play, and adults who can gleefully partake in it, unless of course those poor kids have already been brainwashed and mentally abused into being righty little monsters.
Thanks! Fortunately I taught in a “woke” district, and the parents did not care if I was gay. They just wanted their children to learn and have some fun.
Still, good for you for showing those kiddos you can be a sane, responsible adult and still be fun…and gay. Man, what I’d have given to have a Lefty teacher when I was in 3rd grade!
I did have several students visit when they were juniors/seniors in high school. They were out and proud, and they cited me as one of the reasons they felt comfortable living their authentic lives. Got a bit misty eyed…
I spent my years 6-8ish living in Plano. It was a bucolic place back then. Small, largely underdeveloped, easy. I have no idea what the politix were, cuz 6 years old. All I know is my best friend, Tommy, and I could leave on our bikes at 8 am (with peanut butter and bacon sammiches in our backpacks) and not come home until dinner and no one worried or had any reason to do so. Damn, how things have changed in (cough) 48 years.
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