Attention Ms. Snyder’s 4th-Graders… Highline staff member “Ms. Angela” is transitioning to “Mr. Angel.” Elementary students slated to learn Transgender Equity Lesson on first school day of 2024.
According to a 4 p.m. Sunday, January 7th notice from Marvista Principal Maggie Heater, Ms. Snyder’s 4th-grade class is scheduled to receive an “Equity Lesson” – sometime on Monday, January 8th – about Marvista Elementary’s newly “transitioning” staff member. Ms. Angela is changing her gender identity to Mr. Angel, and students will be expected to use the new pronouns, “he/him.”
In an effort to help the nine and ten-year-old children to navigate this confusing topic, Ms. Snyder and Mr. Walker’s lesson plans include reading and discussing the book called “It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity,” by Theresa Thorn.
Via a last-minute digital communication to parents, Principal Heater said this lesson is deemed to be “age appropriate” and “in accordance with the board policy in Highline Public Schools.”
Principal Heater did not indicate which school policy applies in this case, however, it is most likely the result of the Board’s August 2023 vote to fully adopt and incorporate Instruction on Race and Identity (IRI) as part of the curriculum, leaving parents with no real option to “Opt Out.”
See August 28, 2023 Burien-News articles Anti-Racist IRI Policy Splits School Board Vote to learn more about this policy.
In the meantime, here is the sweetly scripted, colorful children’s book about a 5-year old boy who believes he is a girl. Terms like non-binary, transgender, cis-gender, intersex, gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, are explained.
It’s only 5:44 minutes if you’d like to listen:
This is the digital notice posted by Principal Heater on Sunday, January 7, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. (sent to Burien-News by a concerned parent):
___________________________________
Regardless of if your child is in this class or not, if you have concerns about this policy and planned Equity Lesson, here is contact information for Marvista Elementary and the Highline School District leaders.
Principal Maggie Heater at Marvista Elementary:
Email: Maggie.Heater@highlineschools.org
Phone: 206-631-4200
Highline School Board:
SchoolBoardMembers@highlineschools.org
Superintendent, Dr. Ivan Duran:
Ivan.duran@highlineschools.org
Phone: 206-631-3070
Make public comment at the School Board meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday night – January 10th. Call 206-631-3070 to sign up by 9 a.m. Wednesday morning.
