New Jersey Schools Partner with Group that Provides “Gender-Affirming” Kits
A school district in New Jersey has partnered with a non-profit that provides “gender-affirming kits” for schools, according to a report by The Daily Wire.
Documents obtained by Parents Defending Education (PDE) shed light on the extent of this collaboration. HiTOPS, a self-proclaimed sex education nonprofit, states its commitment to providing “inclusive and youth-informed sex education and LGBTQ+ support for young people throughout New Jersey.” To do this, the organization has sent schools a number of lesson plans and flyers, including one that promotes “gender-affirming kits.” These kits contain items like “packing” tape and underwear for “tucking” for young boys. It also includes chest binders, and “stand-to-pee” devices for girls.
“The HiTOPS Gender Affirming Kit is a groundbreaking resource designed to support transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students while promoting inclusivity within your school community. The Kit is a comprehensive package that equips administrators, teachers, school counselors, and nurses with the knowledge and tools they need to empower students on their gender journey,” reads the flyer.
One of the lesson plans by HiTOPS promotes the practice of teaching students a baby’s sex determined at birth may not relate to a person’s so-called “inside identity.” The organization’s lesson plans also promote the use of “preferred” pronouns in the classroom and directions on how to be “affirming” of various gender identities.
Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, expressed strong reservations about this curriculum, calling it “cult-like content” and asserting that it has “no place in a school.”
“These trainings are a child safe-guarding nightmare — not only do they tell teachers to ask for the gender pronouns of every student, but they also instruct teachers to ask students how they want to be referred to in front of their parents. It is an explicit invitation to keep secrets from parents,” Sanzi said.
