EXCLUSIVE: Education course pushes future teachers to teach kids about 'gay stuff'

A course at the University of North Texas (UNT) is teaching future educators to integrate radical gender ideology and related social justice-oriented topics into their teaching, exclusive materials obtained by Campus Reform show.

The course, titled “Interdisciplinary Studies in Education” and being offered this semester at UNT, covers topics such as “Racial & Cultural Equity” and “Gender & Sexuality Equity.” It is being taught by Heather Barahona, who is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum & Instruction.

According to a syllabus obtained by Campus Reform, course objectives include being able to “[p]ractice strategies for self-care and creating safe classrooms” and “[e]xperience how interdisciplinary approaches support justice-oriented education.”

EDEE 3300.025 Interdiscipli... by Campus Reform

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The syllabus also includes a section dedicated to “Pronouns,” which states that “[j]ust as we ask and don’t assume someone’s name, we should also ask and not assume someone’s pronouns.”

A slideshow obtained by Campus Reform discusses class assignments teachers might propose, such as an “Identity Comic Book” assignment. The slideshow asks the question “What can we do about gender equity in schools?,” discusses “LGBTQ Issues in Schools & Society,” and asserts that “[t]here are no neutral teachers. There is no neutral curriculum.”

EDEE 3300 Week 7 Gender and... by Campus Reform

A class lecture on Mar. 1, according to Campus Reform’s source, included a viewing of a TED Talk titled “Why kids need to learn about gender and sexuality.” The video features Lindsay Amer, host of the YouTube channel “Queer Kid Stuff,” which “brings LGBTQ+ and social justice media to kids and families.” 

The video begins with a performance of Amer’s song “It’s OKAY to Be GAY!” After the song, Amer continues by explaining the mission of her web series, stating that “talking to kids about gay stuff is actually crucial.”   

”Talk to a kid about gender, talk to a kid about sexuality ... tell them it is okay for boys to wear dresses and for girls to speak up. Let’s spread radical, queer joy,” Amer exclaims. 

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This style of social justice-based teaching has become popular with some left-leaning groups, such as Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

The group has a “Learning for Justice Educator Fund,” which “supports educators who embrace and embed social justice, anti-bias and anti-racist principles throughout their classrooms and schools.”

The University of North Texas, Heather Barahona, Lindsay Amer, and Learning for Justice have all been contacted for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

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