Controversy has erupted in Carlsbad Unified School District after a video surfaced over the weekend of Carlsbad High School Vice Principal Ethan Williams speaking to members of Mission Church about the school district's strategic diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging plan.
In the video obtained by NBC 7, Williams is urging church members to attend the school district's three listening sessions on Tuesday to make their voices heard. He tells church members that they should be clear that they don't want any sexual identity or gender ideology curriculum, groups or celebrations on public school campuses. He also says they need to make sure there is full transparency about school curriculum to the parents.
"We're ambassadors for Christ. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to hurt people's feelings, that doesn’t mean people aren’t going to walk away frustrated and upset," Williams said at the meeting.
Williams tells the church members that they should view themselves as peacemakers, not peacekeepers.
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"This is an emotional topic for so many people. You're going to be talking to people who might have kids who are transgender," Williams said at the meeting.
The presentation to church members included a slide show that outlined the goals of the district's strategic plan, the talking points church members should raise in the listening session, and what Williams said were the dangers of promoting LGBTQ ideology and education.
"It's not because we’re bigoted, it's not because we’re afraid of trans people. We love them, but we see the harmful impacts it's having on our kids," Williams said.
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He told church members that he believes kids who have questions about their gender identity should get counseling.
Sarah Hunter, an English teacher at Sage Creek High School and advisor to the Gender Sexuality Alliance on campus said that she found what she saw on the recording of the meeting concerning.
"What we’re witnessing is anti-transgender, anti-non-binary rhetoric being targeted towards a specific population of children of our students, of our community members," Hunter said.
Hunter has taught at Carlsbad public schools for seven years and said she is worried that students at Carlsbad High School will be afraid to speak up now that this video of one of their school administrators has been made public.
"When you look at the meeting and information being presented as data, what it really is is misinformation that puts our LGBTQ students in a very dangerous position and it means that this community needs more education," Hunter said.
She, along with other concerned parents and teachers, organized a Rally of Love in support of LGBTQ students, staff, teachers and families outside the school district offices on Monday evening.
The listening and learning sessions hosted by the Carlsbad Unified School District will take place on May 23 at Buena Vista Elementary School from 6 to 7 p.m., Kelly Elementary School from 6 to 7 p.m. and Poinsettia Elementary School from 7 to 8 p.m.
The meeting will involve 10 minutes of staff presentations and 45 minutes of small group discussions on a limited number of guided questions.
