Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Go Back in Schools

 

Content warning - religious trauma and discussion of sexual abuse

 

The Christian right continues to contend that there is an LGBTQ agenda in schools and that we are grooming children. Yet they have been getting caught left and right doing precisely what they accuse us of doing: going into schools and taking advantage of children when they are vulnerable and impressionable.

 

This incident involves an East Baton Rouge school district superintendent, Dr. Sito Narcisse, who sent an entire school district to a religious revival event on taxpayer money - Almost $10,000. It is alleged that the total cost paid to the 2911 Project (A faith-based mentoring program) was $9,950 to $9,975. Had the total come to $10,000 or more, the entire school board would have required approval. We all know the superintendent, who has resigned, deliberately ensured that the total would not have required full-board approval because he knew what he was doing was unconstitutional.  Dr. Narcisse would resign in January of 2024 when it was announced that the East Baton Rouge school district wouldn't be extending his contract within the school district, which would have seen him receive a $55,000 raise. Suffice it to say, I believe the board knew he was too much of a liability as his actions with the Day of Hope event were garnering national attention and that the Freedom From Religion Foundation was involved. 

 

Many students who thought they were attending a college career fair were forced to listen to discussions of suicide and forgiving sexual abusers. And trans students were viciously bullied while school staff didn't intervene, which is a violation of their bullying policies. Parents of several students who were traumatized at the event have filed a federal lawsuit. The school district asked that the case be dismissed. Thankfully Judge Shelly Dick saw right through their antics and sent a message that Christian nationalists are not above the law. Tragically, children had to be traumatized through this, but hopefully, this will let the Christian right realize they can't be agents of God in the public sector without consequences.

 

Jesus Over the Rainbow: 10 Anti-LGBTQ+ Myths in the Christian Right is available for purchase on Amazon here 

Jason Van Ness

Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Go Back in Schools

 

Content warning - religious trauma and discussion of sexual abuse

 

The Christian right continues to contend that there is an LGBTQ agenda in schools and that we are grooming children. Yet they have been getting caught left and right doing precisely what they accuse us of doing: going into schools and taking advantage of children when they are vulnerable and impressionable.

 

This incident involves an East Baton Rouge school district superintendent, Dr. Sito Narcisse, who sent an entire school district to a religious revival event on taxpayer money - Almost $10,000. It is alleged that the total cost paid to the 2911 Project (A faith-based mentoring program) was $9,950 to $9,975. Had the total come to $10,000 or more, the entire school board would have required approval. We all know the superintendent, who has resigned, deliberately ensured that the total would not have required full-board approval because he knew what he was doing was unconstitutional.  Dr. Narcisse would resign in January of 2024 when it was announced that the East Baton Rouge school district wouldn't be extending his contract within the school district, which would have seen him receive a $55,000 raise. Suffice it to say, I believe the board knew he was too much of a liability as his actions with the Day of Hope event were garnering national attention and that the Freedom From Religion Foundation was involved. 

 

Many students who thought they were attending a college career fair were forced to listen to discussions of suicide and forgiving sexual abusers. And trans students were viciously bullied while school staff didn't intervene, which is a violation of their bullying policies. Parents of several students who were traumatized at the event have filed a federal lawsuit. The school district asked that the case be dismissed. Thankfully Judge Shelly Dick saw right through their antics and sent a message that Christian nationalists are not above the law. Tragically, children had to be traumatized through this, but hopefully, this will let the Christian right realize they can't be agents of God in the public sector without consequences.

 

Jesus Over the Rainbow: 10 Anti-LGBTQ+ Myths in the Christian Right is available for purchase on Amazon here