Just last month, records show the city paid $ 46,000 to send the Drag Story Hour to New York City through public schools, libraries and street festivals, according to the New York Post.
Some parents say the programs were held without their consent, and city officials responded angrily, according to the Post.
The news comes as debates erupt across the country about how gender identity and young children interact.
A photo of a drag queen reading to children by Drag Story Hour NYC. New York has spent over $ 200,000 since 2018 hiring to organize public school events
New York spent $ 46,000 hiring a drag queen to teach students in public schools in 2022 alone
In 2022 alone, Drag Story Hour NYC made 49 appearances in 34 public schools in New York, according to its website.
The organization describes itself as promoting inclusion, creativity and self-acceptance in children, exposing them to seductive queens reading similar subject books.
“Through fun and wonderful educational experiences, our programs celebrate gender diversity and all forms of diversity to build empathy and give children the confidence to express themselves while they feel comfortable,” the website said.
The images on the site show people dressed in dull dresses, glittering wigs and heavy eye shadows reading to young children in the classroom and even helping children do their own make-up.
A drag performer from Drag Story Hour NYC reading to children at an event. Parents told the New York Post that events at their children’s school often happened without parental consent
A performer showcasing some of the books read to children at public school attractions. Books tend to deal with gender issues
The company has received $ 207,000 from taxpayers since 2018, records show. $ 50,000 of this came from the New York State Arts Council and the other $ 157,000 from the New York Department of Education, the Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Department of Transportation and Cultural Affairs.
Funds were provided by city council members, with $ 80,000 available for traction programs in 2022 alone – more than three times what 2020 was planned for traction programs.
“I can not believe it. “I’m shocked,” Helen Qiu, a mother of a high school student in Manhattan, told the Post. This is not part of the curriculum. “
Funds were provided by city council members, with $ 80,000 available for attraction projects in 2022 alone – more than three times what was provided in 2020 for transportation projects
$ 50,000 in funding came from the State Council on the Arts of New York and the other $ 157,000 from the New York Department of Education, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Department of Transportation and Cultural Affairs
However, some parents say that the transfer programs took place without their consent and that they only learned about them after their children returned from school and reported them.
“I did not receive any notification, my daughter came home and told me that a drag queen came to school,” said PS 191’s parent Reese Harrington. “I feel it would be better to have this discussion at home.”
Storm Neverson, a parent of nine- and six-year-old girls at STAR Academy, has expressed concern about schools exposing young children to drag queens.
“If he was in high school or high school, I would be fine with that because I feel they would have a little more understanding,” Neverson said. “Right now, the kids were pretty much young.”
Neverson said she was told the program was being done, but was not asked if she thought it was okay.
“It was mostly like a heads up, you know, like, ‘Hi, this event is coming. “We will get these people to come.” “And that was it.”
Some parents say that the transfer programs took place without their consent and that they only learned about them after their children returned from school and reported them.
A book read to school children by artists from Drag Story Hour NYC. “If You’re a Drag Queen You Know it” is just one of the many theme books the program reads.
Queens City Council member Vicki Paladino responded angrily to the news about the city spending on a drag queen.
“I’m thinking of raising funding for any school in my district that runs the Drag Queen Story Hour,” said Paladino. the fluidity of their gender? Not. On. My. I’m watching.’
The Ministry of Education defended the city’s expenses for the appearances of drag queens in schools, characterizing them as helpful in preventing violence against transgender people.
“Last year, 50 transgender people were killed in the United States because of their identities,” Suzan Sumer told the Post. “We believe our schools play a critical role in helping young people learn and respect people. that you can be different from them “.
A drag queen playing at the “Drag Your Kids to Pride” event at a gay nightclub in Dallas on Saturday, June 4th. Children can be seen sitting on stools covering the hallway
A child handing out dollar bills to artists at the gay nightclub Mr. Misster at a family drag show on Saturday, June 4th
The news of the program comes as discussions and controversy swirl across the country about the role of exposure and education of children in gender identity.
Just last week, a Dallas gay bar hosted a Pride Month event that invited kids to participate with drag queens on stage under a pink neon sign that read, “She will not lick alone.”
In March, Florida Gov. Ron de Sandis signed a parental rights bill that barred teachers from giving instruction in the classroom about “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” in kindergarten through third grade.
In April, a Tennessee lawmaker said he would “burn” banned books if he could, as gender identity books top the list of banned titles in schools across the country.
In May, a Florida mother sued her daughter’s school after teachers created a “transgender support plan” for her daughter without seeking parental consent.
This month, even Pizza Hut got involved in the discussion after launching a children’s book featuring a little boy dressed in extremes.
Also this month, DeSantis moved to ban transitional therapies for children and withdraw Medicaid support for trans adult therapies in Florida.
This includes blocking access to “adolescent inhibitors, cross-sex hormones and surgery”.
“Florida needs to do more to protect children from policy-based medicine,” wrote state surgeon General Joseph Lapando, who was appointed by Desantis in February.
“Otherwise, children and adolescents in our state will continue to face significant risk of long-term harm.”
