Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction introduces new official professional development program (including the “Gender Snow Person”) to train teachers into accepting and promoting gender ideology in classrooms

On September 27, 2023, parental rights advocate Scarlett Johnson shared a new program started by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that included a “new online LGBTQ+ Student Support Module Series for Wisconsin educators to utilize as professional development and in order to identify LGBTQ+ kids, become an ally, and introduce students of all ages to gender ideology.” Parents Defending Education can verify that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has created a new program to help teachers implement LGBTQ ideology into their classrooms.

On September 26, 2023, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction posted a press release titled “New Online LGBTQ+ Student Support Module Series.” The government entity states for the “Basic Concepts” module: “This module focuses on big concepts and some vocabulary, but mostly concepts. These are basic building blocks to understanding LGBTQ+ students and their identities. This module will also cover how to ask questions when you don’t understand the terms and concepts being shared or discussed.” The other module is titled “Best Practices.”

The “Basic Concepts” module features a video where a speaker from the LGBTQ organization GSAFE discusses and promotes the “Gender Snow Person.” The speaker stated that he uses this image specifically because children are familiar with it. The point of the “Gender Snow Person” is to show that “gender identity” is different from “sex assigned at birth.” He added that the idea people are born either male or female is wrong and attempted to tell viewers that gender is not binary. The module also links directly to LGBTQ organizations that target children, such as the Human Rights Campaign’s “Welcoming Schools” program, Gender Spectrum, AMAZE, and The Trevor Project.

The “Best Practices” module features a video where the same speaker discussed the importance of “trusted adults.” This speaker stated that the “best practice” is to use the preferred pronouns and names of students because it is “culturally responsive practice” and “basic respect.” The speaker also told teachers to be supportive of students transitioning to another gender and to encourage parents to accept the transition of their children. He also encouraged teachers to stop referring to students as “boys and girls.” In one example of not referring to parents as mothers and fathers, he stated instead of using “Doughnuts with Dads” use “Churros with Heroes.” The Human Rights Campaign, Gender Spectrum, AMAZE, and The Trevor Project are also promoted as resources in this module.

GSAFE is an organization that specifically targets children with LGBTQ issues. The organization’s website states that “GSAFE creates just schools for LGBTQ+ youth in Wisconsin.” The organization continues to explain on its homepage: “We are committed to youth leadership, anti-racism, and social justice and recognize we are all life-long learners and teachers.”

The Human Rights Campaign is a political organization that advocates for corporations and schools to adopt LGBTQ issues in their businesses and curricula. The organization has a history of working with schools, teachers unions, and the federal government to push LGBTQ activism into the nation’s education system. The organization additionally promotes using lawsuits to block laws that would protect children from being taught gender ideology while at school.

The organization Gender Spectrum previously offered resources specifically targeting “youth” and even teachers. Gender Spectrum offered resources to educators on a page titled “Integrating Gender Diversity Into Everyday Curriculum.” This page explained that the discussion of gender can be integrated into subjects like history, science, mathematics, and even physical education. In targeting the youth, Gender Spectrum offered online chatrooms for children as young as 10 years old who identify as “trans” or “non-binary.”

AMAZE is an organization that promotes “PRIDE resources” for children as young as toddlers on its website. In a document titled “Understanding Gender Diversity,” the organization provides caregivers with lessons to help “guide conversations with children on gender diversity, including gender identity and expression.” The lessons include books like My Princess Boy and When Aidan Became a Brother. AMAZE describes My Princess Boy as a story “about a little boy who loves the color pink, sparkly things, and being a princess.” The organization describes When Aidan Became a Brother as about a girl who transitioned to being a boy. Both books are aimed at children as young as 4 years old.