An elementary school in Wisconsin has been forced to drop a book from their curriculum over threats of a lawsuit if they include it.
Mount Horeb Primary Center was planning to include the book I Am Jazz, which is about a transgender teenager, in their curriculum. It was an important resource in order to help children attending the school understand their fellow pupil who is biologically male but identifies as female.
The autobiographical book is based on the life of teen YouTube and reality TV star Jazz Jennings and documents her transition from a little boy into a girl.
Last week the school principal sent out letters to parents letting them know about their decision to include the book in the cirriculum and the reasons behind it, stating:
“We believe all students deserve respect and support regardless of their gender identity and expression, and the best way to foster that respect and support is through educating students about the issue of being transgender.”
Following the issuing of these letters the Florida-based Liberty Counsel contacted the school claiming they had spoken to concerned parents and threatened to sue the school if they did not pull I Am Jazz from the curriculum.
The Liberty Counsel has been described as a “hate group” encouraging “anti-LGBT discrimination, under the guise of religious liberty.” True to form, they said that “subjecting” children to a reading of the “false and misleading” book violates the rights of parents.
In their letter the Liberty Counsel referred to Jazz as a “male child permitted to undergo harmful gender reassignment” and said that reading a book documenting “his” transition is “disturbing” and “confusing” to children as it implies that “because a girl likes short hair and likes a “boy” name, she is now a boy.”
The letter expressed concerns about “undermining the religious free exercise and free speech rights” of others regarding the use of “incorrect pronouns,” as it is immoral to force children to “lie” in this way. The letter also criticizes other steps that the school is planning to take in order to accommodate the transgender pupil.
The school yielded to pressure from the Liberty Counsel and made the decision to cancel the reading. They issued a statement saying that although they seek to accommodate the individual student in any way that they can they will take into consideration the needs of other students and their families.
Hearing of the school’s decision to pull I Am Jazz, the Liberty Counsel posted an update to their website stating that thanks to the parents who complained, their children will not be “indoctrinated” by this “wholly inappropriate” book.
Image from Jazz Jennings‘ official Facebook page.
