First grade class in DeWitt offers optional lesson on pronouns; state rep mocks plan
DEWITT — The school district's plan to offer an optional class for some first graders at Schavey Road Elementary School on the use of pronouns by individuals is drawing backlash, but school officials are defending the offering.
The lesson, planned for the next few weeks, will introduce students in one classroom to they/them pronouns, which are used by those who don't identify with gendered pronouns he/him or she/her. The class will read "They, She, He, Me: Free to Be!" by Matthew Sg and Maya Christina Gonzalez, and then will talk about the themes in the book, including pronoun use and genders outside the mainstream binary.
The optional lesson has drawn the ire of some parents, a state representative and several social media conservative groups. School officials, however, have defended the lesson as age-appropriate and pointed out it's optional.
The first grade class will read the book, practice using "they/them" pronouns and learn what to do if they accidentally get someone's pronouns wrong. The students will also discuss why it's wrong to purposely change someone's pronouns, officials said in an April 11 letter to parents.
The author's publisher, Reflection Press, describes the book — intended for children 6-9 — as "a playful narrative about pronouns for kids," with discussion prompts for both children and adults. The book "shows many gender presentations under each pronoun and invites even more."
In the letter to families who have students in the classroom, Superintendent Shanna Spickard and Principal Liz Crouch introduced the lesson and provided information for parents who wanted to opt out their child. The letter said parents had until April 18 to ask to review the lesson or opt their child out of the lesson.
Neither Spickard nor Crouch returned messages seeking comment Friday morning.
State Rep. Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers, criticized the lesson in a Facebook post. Carra's post received more than 300 comments and was shared nearly 500 times.
"Hire me to teach the kids," Carra said in the post. "'Little Jack, you’re a boy even if you pretend to be a girl. Other people shouldn’t be forced to pretend along with you. Your pronouns are he/him.' Great, now back to reading, writing, and arithmetic…"
Anti-LGBTQ social media posters who oppose such topics being discussed in schools have railed against the lesson on X.
Libs of Tiktok, a far-right and anti-LGBTQ social media account, posted a clip of WILX 10's interview with a parent who opposed the lesson. Moms for Liberty, another far-right and anti-LGBTQ social media account, shared the same clip. The TV segment used did not explain the lesson was optional.
Social media posts opposing the lesson also did not say the class was optional or that it would only be taught in one classroom.
On April 17, Spickard addressed the backlash against the lesson in a Facebook post.
"The purpose is to promote greater understanding, compassion, and kindness regarding gender identity and the use of pronouns," Spickard said in the post. "The mini-lesson is not designed to challenge, persuade, or alter family beliefs. Instead, it aims to promote a safe and respectful learning environment where all our students feel valued.
"Again, this is an optional session and 100% voluntary and is only being offered to students in one first grade classroom in response to concerns brought to our attention, not as part of our general curriculum," Spickard wrote. Spickard did not elaborate on what concerns were raised that prompted the lesson.
District officials have not said whether any parents have decided to opt their children out of the lesson. Schavey is the only school in the district that has first grade classes.
Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com. Follow her on X, @sarahmatwood.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: DeWitt's Schavey Road Elementary offers optional lesson on pronouns
