High school’s “Drag Day” and “Queer Hero Day” have attracted parents’ attention in Oregon
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An Oregon high school encouraged students to dress up as “Drag Queens” and their favorite “Queer Hero” while celebrating “Pride Month” this week, but one parent said the family did not notify in advance.
At the School of Arts and Technology in Eugene School of 4J, students celebrate “Pride Spirit Week” with different themes every day, according to a memo obtained by Fox News Digital, aiming to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
On Monday, students are encouraged to “wear as much rainbow as possible” a day. On Tuesday, they were told to wear all black “to honor the lost members of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Wednesday is “Drag Day”, where students are told to “dress up like a drag queen/king/monarch, or dress up as a different gender.”
Students from an Oregon high school are encouraged to dress up as LGBTQ Pride Flags in Spirit Week. (iStock)
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Thursday is Queer Hero Day, and students choose their favorite “queer heroes” such as Freddy Mercury or Chapel Ron.
This week’s event ends with “Friday’s Pride Flag,” where students are told to “dress up as the Pride Flag of your choice.”
A parent who spoke with Fox News Digital said the school’s principal sent parents a notice about Monday afternoon Pride Week and about 15 minutes later, when the students were out. The email also said weekly events will coincide with learning in class “the history of the LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Movement.”
After a week had begun, parents were surprised to learn about the activities and wondered why the school did not share with their family in advance.
Under Oregon law, schools are required to notify parents and guardians before guidance on human sexual behavior.
A parent who spoke with Fox News Digital said the school did not notify parents in the weeks leading up to the Pride Week event. (iStock)
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When Fox News Digital commented, a spokesperson for the Eugene School District confirmed that parents were notified of notifications about the week’s event on Monday afternoon.
The district said most courses and activities are not considered part of formal teaching about human sexuality, but parents should have been notified before.
The district vowed to “work more closely with the school’s notifications more closely with the school’s notifications”, which is their expectation that schools and families will comply with Oregon law a few weeks in advance and allow families to have the opportunity to review human sexual curriculum and opt out early.
The district added that the activities and courses are aligned with the Oregon Department of Education’s LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Program. LGBTQ2SIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/non-binary, queer/questioning, two, bisexual, bisexual and asexual, plus symbols refer to other identities.
A school district in Oregon said its Pride Spirit Week coincides with a lesson plan on the history of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. ((Credit: ISTOCK))
The district said the successful program “ensures students understand the history and contributions of historically marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals.”
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The School’s Pride Week aims to support LGBTQ+ students and their families and foster an inclusive climate.
“We remain committed to promoting inclusive, secure learning spaces and working with families. This means ensuring that our communication is clear, our curriculum is consistent, and that our students feel they belong to them,” the district said.
The Oregon School District is one of several positions against President Donald Trump’s actions to root gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion in public schools.
Two days after Trump issued an executive order, announcing his recognition of “both genders,” Eugene 4J School Board passed a resolution on January 22 that “recognized the gender identity, expression and fairness of students and employees who express transgender people and gender.”
The resolution said the region would support “LGBTQ2SIA+” people and reject “any attempt to weaken, politicize or marginalize these identities”.
It is also the first public K-12 school district to join the federal lawsuit in February to challenge the education department’s racial discrimination guide.
President Trump has issued several executive orders for education that face legal challenges during his second term. (Getty Image)
The Ministry of Education informed educators in February that they must stop using racial preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their enrollment, recruitment, promotion and other practices, or risk losing federal funds.
The lawsuit is a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association, which he believes the Department of Education threatens the constitutional freedom of educators and due process.
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“Our equity plan is part of our board and regional goals to ensure that our students are equitable and that our school effectively contacts all students, including our most vulnerable students,” said Jenny Jonak, chairman of the Eugene 4J School Board of Trustees, in a press release announcing the lawsuit.
In April, a federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked the Department of Education from cutting funds or prosecuting school districts when challenging policies.
