Parents and community members spoke out against the Santa Ana Unified School District’s referring students to the National Suicide Hotline, which they say surveys children about their gender and sexualitywithout parental consent, and The Trevor Project, a national LGBT organization promoting chatrooms with what some say are controversial topics for young people.
During a Nov. 2 Orange County Board of Education meeting, some, including parents, teachers, and members of a group called “Gays Against Groomers,” asked trustees to investigate the district’s use of the hotline and the organization and to remove posters promoting both from school classrooms and hallways.
Some speaking to the trustees brought large signs depicting some of the chatrooms—including those with names like “Guilt, Pain, Secrets, Solace,” “Witchcraft Club,” “Polyamory Club,” “Furries United,” and “Bi+ and Mspec Folks.”
“The public needs to be aware of what our children have access to in the guise of inclusivity and diversity,” one parent said during public comment.
Others expressed concern that the chatrooms might be a “hunting ground” for sexual predators posing as children online.
Brenda Lebsack, a teacher in the district, told trustees she tested the chatrooms and the suicide hotline, posing as a student.
On TrevorSpace—which is aimed at ages 13 to 24—Lebsack said she signed up for an account by merely entering a false date of birth.
As for the suicide hotline, Lebsack said it surveyed her about her gender and sexuality, requiring her to choose from a list of 11 different genders or to write in however she identified if not on the list.
It also asks for callers’ sexual orientation, whether they are asexual, bisexual or pansexual, gay or lesbian, heterosexual or straight, questioning or unsure, prefer not to answer, or “other – write in.”
“No test, questionnaire, survey, or examination containing any questions about the pupil’s personal beliefs or practices in sex, family life, morality, and religion … shall be administered to any pupil in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, unless the parent or guardian of the pupil is notified in writing,” the code states.
Trustee Jorge Valdes, whose district covers Santa Ana, told The Epoch Times he was “shocked” to learn of these materials in schools.
Resources and posters promoting the suicide hotline and TrevorSpace are often used by teachers and school staff as classroom resources and are not vetted through the county education board, Valdes said.
The trustee said he is planning to meet with Santa Ana Unified Superintendent Jerry Almendarez about removing the materials from schools.
During the meeting, board member John Palacio suggested the board look into the complaints, while other trustees—such as Carolyn Torres and Rigo Rodriguez—criticized the concerns as “dehumanizing” toward the LGBT community.
Almendarez did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline.
