The unidentified teacher teaches third-grade at Pleasant Grove Elementary UBU – stands for ‘you be you’ was club’s named open to grade third through sixth On March 5, parents voiced their concerns for the school’s lack of transparency
Parents at a California elementary school have been left outraged after discovering a ‘secret’ LGBTQ club set up by a teacher.
The third-grade staffer, who was not identified, formed the ‘you be you’ at Pleasant Grove Elementary School in Elk Grove.
The teacher invited students in the fourth through sixth grade to attend the private meetings.
Brittani Cortina, who has a second and a fourth grader at the school, said her older child told her the teacher went into class and told the students about the club.
Cortina said: ‘The teacher came in and spoke about how boys like boys and girls like girls.’
Parents gathered at Elk Grove Unified’s School board meeting last week to voice their fury about the the lack of transparency from the district.
Kirk Thomas, who attended the meeting, told CBS13 News. ‘There was no permission slip. There was no notification to parents.’
The majority of parents did not support the club and claimed they were never told about it, but a small number were in favor.
Thomas added: ‘First of all it is not acceptable, but if you are going to do this everyone needs to know.’
Parent, Heidi Moore, who has several children at Elk Grove Unified, pointed out that that the issue was that the school was unforthcoming about it.
‘It was an inappropriate situation, and parents felt that it was inappropriate for their children to be invited secretly without them knowing,’ she said.
She added: ‘The district isn’t really giving any answers on what was happening, what the guidelines were, what the curriculum was.’
But, for parent Tiffany Woods she was part of the small group of parents, who were in favor.
‘It is critical to mental health and overall well being,’ she voiced. ‘having that extra support and having that validation to help them navigate throughout the day is crucial.’
She said those students who have non-supportive parents will suffer.
‘Where is there safety net… the school educators and the counselors.’ But Pamela Davila said it was not a conversation she was ready to have with her second grader.
‘These little minds just can’t wrap their heads around what these types of things mean to them,’ Davila said, as per the news outlet.
The district said the club is currently on pause, and issued a statement, as per the news outlet.
‘EGUSD is aware of the UBU club at Pleasant Grove Elementary but the club is currently on pause while the District reviews all pertinent policies and practices that relate to before/after school clubs.’
Pleasant Grove Principal Deidra Wood said, in an email to the news outlet.
‘Our legal counsel has been weighing in with our district cabinet because of the laws and because whatever decisions are made will impact not only our school and club but the other 5-10 elementary similar clubs,’ she said, in part.
Elk Grove Unified said the districts has multiple identity clubs across its school campuses.
