It is not only public K-12 schools that are trying to encourage children to embrace transgenderism. Unfortunately, many private institutions have jumped on this train, which means parents must be extra careful when selecting a non-public school for their children.
New York City’s most prestigious private schools are reportedly about to go back into session after having recommended some rather questionable material for summer reading. The books on the lists of many of these institutions appear designed to prime the students for the actual indoctrination they will receive upon returning to class.
The National Review reported:
As school goes back into session, students in New York City’s top private schools head into the classroom having been recommended summer reading lists riddled with books about children transitioning their genders, cross-dressing, attending pride parades, getting secret abortions, and questioning their sexuality.
The news outlet explained that it obtained and reviewed various summer reading lists given by multiple private schools in New York that suggested books “celebrating toddlers becoming transgender and cross-dressing.”
One of the first examples was Nightingale-Bamford, an all-girls school, which recommended that kindergarteners read “When Aidan Became A Brother,” which tells the tale of a girl who changed her gender when she was just a toddler. Another book is “Julian Is A Mermaid,” which is about a boy who chooses to “dress in a skirt, flower crown, and necklace,” according to National Review. Another is a book titled “Pride Puppy,” which I about a dog who gets lost at a Pride parade and is helped by a drag queen.
Remember, these books were recommended for kindergartners.
The school’s director of communications, Thomas Hein, told “National Review” that its “library offers our students a diverse set of highly regarded, academically appropriate books that they and their parents can choose to enjoy throughout the summer and school year.”
The Chapin School, which is located in New York City’s Upper East Side, had similar recommendations. “Students in grades four through seven were asked to read at least two books off the summer reading list, which included titles like Melissa and Different Kinds of Fruit, a book in which a sixth-grader named Annabelle discovers that her father and her new best friend are both trans,” according to the report.
Saint Ann’s School, a private school located in Brooklyn, also suggested many of the same books as the other schools, including “Pride Puppy.”
When asked whether this material was appropriate for young children, Vince Tompkins, the school’s headmaster said he was “proud” of recommending books “that embrace the range of human experiences and identities.”
He continued:
“Our mission statement at Saint Ann’s School states, in part, that at our school, ‘unfettered by grades, teachers and students embark on journeys of discovery in which the arts are central.’ Through an ambitious curriculum and a culture of inquiry, we question the world. We invite each other to take risks, pursue knowledge for its own sake, and celebrate growth.”
He added:
“I am proud of our librarians for carrying out this mission with care and commitment in their everyday work with children and in recommending books that embrace the range of human experience and identities and help children better understand and question the world we share. Saint Ann’s is an independent school, chosen by families and by those who teach and work here because they know that we are not subject to the urges of politicians and zealots who seek to restrict what teachers can teach and say and what books we choose for our library shelves. This is our mission, and we will continue to pursue it.”
This is likely how other private schools in New York and elsewhere portray their efforts to trans children. Indeed, it is worth noting that many of the parents sending their kids to these schools are on board with this agenda. They likely think it is simply about inclusion and diversity. Moreover, they do not wish to be seen as having bigoted views toward members of the LGBTQ community.
But it is also worth asking: How many of these parents know that the institutions to which they are sending their children are pushing transgender ideology on their kids? Unfortunately, there are still tons of people who do not know that public and private schools are indoctrinating their children with far-leftist ideology on race, gender identity, and sexuality. Indeed, there are several examples of how these parents react when they realize what their kids’ private schools are doing in the classroom, even in New York City.
This story serves as yet another reminder that while school choice is a valid cause, parents must still make sure that if they are able to send their kids to a private school, they must make sure they understand the curriculum that is being presented to their children. The fact that they are private institutions does not mean they are not in line with what is being infused in public schools.
