Here’s why Bellingham school officials are being harassed by far-right websites
Bellingham school officials and a local business have been targeted with antisemitic and other hate speech and harassment over a children’s book about a transgender girl that was read to first-graders, the superintendent said Thursday, May 7.
In a message posted at the Bellingham Public Schools website, Superintendent Greg Baker said the book is part of the district’s recent commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and meets state guidelines for age-appropriate education.
“Reading diverse books and learning about all kinds of lives is consistent with our values in our strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise. We believe all children should be loved, and we believe diversity enhances a strong and healthy community,” Baker said online.
Baker said the book that prompted harassment is “I Am Jazz,” based on the true story of Jazz Jennings, a 20-year-old transgender woman and queer-rights activist whose TLC reality show is in its sixth season.
“The message of ‘I Am Jazz’ is a child reflecting on their own gender identity and that all people are unique and wonderful,” Baker said online. “Gender identity and expression are found in the Washington State Health and Physical Education standards.”
A state law requiring comprehensive science-based sexual-health education was the focus of Referendum 90, which was approved by 58% of Washington voters in 2020.
Harassment toward school staff apparently stems from stories on the websites of the right-wing Young America’s Foundation and at The Daily Wire, run by far-right media personality Ben Shapiro.
Both websites cite anonymous sources for their information, but they provide the name and contact information for the teacher they claim read the book, along with information about Jenn Mason, school board president.
School spokeswoman Dana Smith said the district has been receiving malicious emails and phone calls.
“We’re getting all kinds of messages, including some that are more hateful,” Smith told The Bellingham Herald. “It’s going to prompt conversation, and we all are learning.”
Mason owns Wink Wink, a “woman-owned, inclusive, all-ages, not creepy, sex shop” in downtown Bellingham.
“In the past 24 hours, I’ve received a lot of questions and messages of support, but I’ve also received a lot of antisemitic and anti-trans hate speech,” said Mason, who is Jewish.
“Most of the hateful speech is not coming from people in our community,” which is generally offers acceptance and understanding, Mason told The Herald.
“Our shop serves a huge number of queer and trans folks. I feel honored to play a role in their lives,” she said. “If anything, all this vitriol just shows how much more work we need to do to support trans kids.”
Supporting trans kids is part of the work of Whatcom PFLAG, Diana Campbell told The Herald.
“PFLAG Whatcom fully supports the statement by Greg Baker, Bellingham Schools superintendent,” Campbell said in an email.
“PFLAG holds the highest value for safe and loving families. We believe that people from all walks of life deserve to be valued. Across all political, cultural, or faith beliefs, it remains important to value every individual — especially children,” she said.
“Learning about other children’s life experiences provides a rich and solid foundation for growing children. Reading a book about trans children does not create a trans child. We know that transgender individuals are real and by acknowledging that truth, we are saving lives. Introducing this information to children will help make school a safer and more accepting place for trans kids. Young children who are trans and are not accepted experience a higher suicide rate than that of non-trans children — a rate exceeding 40%,” Campbell said.
“Banning or hiding information does not benefit anyone. Pretending something doesn’t exist does not make it go away. PFLAG families understand that seeing, hearing, and valuing their children is vital to their existence,” she said.
Baker discussed the school’s commitment to challenging institutional bigotry and raising cultural awareness in a September 2019 interview with The Herald.
“The new policy directs us to continue to confront the institutional bias that results in predictability of student success or lack thereof, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, language and culture,” Baker told The Herald.
This story was originally published May 7, 2021 at 10:47 AM.
