- The unidentified teacher teaches third grade at Pleasant Grove Elementary
- UBU – stands for ‘you be you’ was the name of the club open to grades three to six
- On March 5, parents expressed their concern about the school’s lack of transparency
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Parents at a California primary school have been outraged after discovering a ‘secret’ LGBTQ club set up by a teacher.
The third grade employee, who was not identified, formed ‘you are you’ at Pleasant Grove Elementary School in Elk Grove.
The teacher invited students in grades four through six to attend the private meetings.
Parents gathered at Elk Grove Unified’s school board meeting last week to voice their concerns about the district’s lack of transparency
Pleasant Grove Principal Deidra Wood
Pleasant Grove Elementary School in Elk Grove, California
Brittani Cortina, who has a second and fourth grader at the school, said her older child told her the teacher walked into the class and told the students about the club.
Cortina said: ‘The teacher came in and talked about how boys like boys and girls like girls.’
Parents gathered at Elk Grove Unified’s school board meeting last week to express their outrage at the lack of transparency from the district.
Kirk Thomas, who attended the meeting, said CBS13 News. ‘There was no permission slip. There was no notification to the parents.’
Most parents did not support the club, claiming they were never told about it, but a small number were in favor.
Parent Kirk Thomas said there was no permission slip. There was no notification to parents
Parents gathered at Elk Grove Unified’s school board meeting last week to express their outrage at the lack of transparency from the district
Thomas added: ‘Firstly, it is not acceptable, bif you’re going to do this, everyone needs to know.’
Parent Heidi Moore, who has several children at Elk Grove Unified, pointed out that the problem was the school’s lack of understanding about it.
“It was an inappropriate situation and parents felt it was inappropriate for their children to be secretly invited without them knowing,” she said.
She added: ‘The district is not really giving any answers as to what happened, 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’s essential for mental health and overall well-being,” she said. ‘having that extra support and having that validation to help them navigate the day is essential.’
She said those students who have unsupportive parents will suffer.
‘Where is the safety net… the school teachers and counsellors.’ But Pamela Davila said it wasn’t a conversation she was ready to have with her second grader.
“These little minds just can’t wrap their heads around what this kind of thing means to them,” Davila said, according to the news outlet.
The district said the club is currently on hiatus and issued a statement, according to the news outlet.
“EGUSD is aware of the UBU club at Pleasant Grove Elementary, but the club is currently on hiatus while the district reviews all relevant policies and practices pertaining to before/after school clubs.”
Pleasant Grove Principal Deidra Wood said in an email to the news outlet.
“Our legal advisors have weighed in with our district cabinet because of the laws and because whatever decisions are made, it will affect not only our school and club, but the other 5-10 similar clubs,” she said in part.
Elk Grove Unified said the districts have multiple identity clubs across their school campuses.