Marvista Elementary School teaches fourth grade students about transgender issues and gender identity due to staff member transitioning from female to male

On January 8, 2024, Burien-News reported that Marvista Elementary School’s principal notified parents on January 7 at 4 p.m. that the next day of school for fourth grade students would have an “equity lesson” on transgender issues. The school principal told parents that a staff member was transitioning from “Ms. Angela” to “Mr. Angel.” The news outlet reported that the principal told parents that “lesson plans include reading and discussing the book called ‘It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity,’ by Theresa Thorn.” The principal called the lesson to young children “age appropriate” and “in accordance with the board policy in Highline Public Schools.”

The principial specifically explained that this staff member will be using “he/him pronouns” and said students were expected to call this staff member “Mr. Angel” now. The book It Feels Good to be Yourself features a young boy who identifies as a girl in a positive manner. The book uses the phrases “cisgender,” “gender identity,” “non-binary,” and a singular character who is called “both a boy and a girl.” The book teaches children that they can change their gender identity depending on how they feel “from day to day.”