Anchorage School Board silences father after he read from a children's book teaching sexting in schools

 By Jessica Schultz Pleasant

 

The Anchorage School Board of Alaska met on February 7, 2023, with parents in attendance concerned with the school’s push for programs labeled as, “diversity, equity and inclusion”, or DEI. The programs are seen by some as using positive buzz words, to disguise racism and allowing for sexually explicit conversations with children. Children trapped in the classroom are forced to digest the obscene images and content within the school’s books.

According to Fox News, the school board in attendance included members Carl Jacobs, Pat Higgins, Margo Bellamy, Kelly Lessen, Dora Wilson, Dave Donley and Andy Holleman. Alaskan citizen and father, Jay McDonald, brought with him a district approved book named “Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships and Being a Human”, by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan.

Source: Alaska School District

McDonald began his time speaking about the graphic novel having a section used to teach children how to sext. Sexting often involves taking nude and inappropriate pictures, then sharing the images to entice and excite the recipient of the messages. If an image of a child’s body is distributed it become a felony charge.

"Let's Talk About it," a book in Anchorage, Alaska, school district libraries, says, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying some porn, it's a fun sugary treat." (Fox News Digital | respective author | iStock)

Children have been being charged and sentenced for child pornography in the way the typical predator is charged. It is possible a child distributing their own pornography could face charges. The laws are still developing, as the discussion is being debated surrounding the culture of the tech advanced youth and their primal urges they do not understand.

After Jacobs cut off McDonald’s time, McDonald still ended up spending the majority of his time available arguing for the right to speak. Before being cut off by Jacobs, McDonald read portions of the book, making the board members visibly uncomfortable. One member on video went to his elbows and buried his face after hearing what the content involved, and well before McDonald began to read verbatim from the book.

According to ABC, “McDonald alleges an entire chapter of the book is devoted to tips on sexting, which the authors refer to as “sending your naughty masterpieces around the world.”

According to Fox, McDonald read aloud:

"There's nothing wrong with enjoying some porn, it's a fun sugary treat," the book said, "When consumed right, porn can help you discover new aspects of your sexuality."

"A great place to research fantasies and kinks safely is on the internet," the book said. "There's tons of people and communities out there who share your interests and have all kinds of advice."

ABC reported the father was voiced his shock over the book, saying, “[T]his is for kids.”

McDonald continued to read to the board directions on how to sext from the book:

 “Don’t forget to crop out your face, hide your birthmarks and scars, and edit out your piercings and tattoos, and don't forget to tell your sweetie how hot they look. Let them know you appreciate the little gift they've sent you.”

Interrupting, Jacobs told the father he would need to address the Anchorage School District Superintendent, Dr. Jharrett Bryant. According to the Anchorage School District page on Bryantt, “Prior to joining ASD, Dr. Bryantt served as the Houston Independent School District’s Executive Officer of Talent. Houston ISD is the 7th largest school district in the United States.”

According to ABC, board member Dave Donely questioned the ruling by Jacobs:

McDonald asked the board, “How can you say I don't have First Amendment rights to just read this to adults at a school board meeting? Is it or is it not a First Amendment issue?"

"I don't understand how it's appropriate for kids, but it's not appropriate for the school board. I didn't even say a bad word. It feels a lot like you don't want parents to be seeing what's given to kids."

The article continues, Donely prompted a need for a vote by the board to allow McDonald to continue speaking. Board members that wanted to provide freedom of speech to McDonald included Dave Donley and Andy Hollman. Those that chose to silence McDonald included Carl Jacobs, Pat Higgins, Margo Bellamy, Kelly Lessen, Dora Wilson.

The consequences of teaching and normalizing sexting among children can lead to consequences beyond their comprehension. The children find sexting is all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Until someone is criminally charged or bullied to death.

According to Alaska Public Media, on October 6, 2022, an Alaskan girl reported being a victim of an international child pornography ring. “The investigation that she set in motion also led to the arrest of a man described as the conspiracy’s ringleader more than 6,000 miles away: Zobaidul Amin, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi national the Royal Malaysia Police apprehended in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in September.”

APM explained children are being targeted by pedophiles through amassing the images in the community to use as blackmail against the children. Those images so “innocently” passed around by the children do not stay within their peer group. The images reach predators who then contact the children, threatening to give the images to the child’s family and friends. This forces the children into providing more photos to the predator while under duress.

According to CNN, a fifteen-year-old named Marissa Miller, from Pennsylvania, was a member of a peer group of sexting partners. Miller was twelve years old when she was at a slumber party with friends taking pictures of themselves in training bras. When the police became aware, twenty children became entangled in the story.

The children find sexting is all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Until someone is criminally charged or bullied to death.

The district attorney of George Skumanick, Jr., from Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, is attempting new ways to address the sexting pandemic among teens and children. The twenty children were offered the choice of probation and re-education or be charged with sexual abuse of a minor.

“An adult would go to prison for this,” said Skumanick. "If you take the photo, you've committed a crime. If you send the photo, you've committed a different crime, but essentially the same crime."

CNN reported Marissa Miller said, "I wasn't trying to be sexual… I was having fun with my friends at a sleepover, taking pictures, dancing to music." Miller is being supported by her mother, MaryJo Miller, to file suit to prevent charges against her daughter.

CNN shared an even more heart breaking possibility of teaching children sexting should be normalized. In Cincinnati, Ohio, Jessica Logan was a teen with a boyfriend. Her 19-year old boyfriend shared her nude pictures, causing severe bullying and cyber-bullying. This led to Jessica Logan taking her own life.

CNN continued, "Last year, Jessica Logan, a Cincinnati, Ohio, teen, hanged herself after her nude photo, meant for her boyfriend, was sent to teenagers at several high schools. For months after, her father says, she was the subject of ridicule and taunts.”

"Everyone knew about that photo," Bert Logan says. "She could not live it down."

CNN reported that on July 3, Bert Logan’s wife found her daughter Jessica after the girl took her life by hanging. "She had been getting dressed to go out. The curling iron was still warm. It was so unexpected," Bert Logan said. "I heard my wife scream, I ran up to Jessie's room, but it was too late."

The more the Democrats and teacher unions push an agenda like this the more children will be caught unaware of the laws. More children will make decisions from which they may never recover. Normalizing sexting between children in contrast with federal laws, the Anchorage School District is placing all children in danger of being considered lifelong victims and lifelong criminals. This is a fate unimaginable within the mind of children, that is why it is up to the adults to stop it.

 

Sources:

1. Alaska School District. (2023). Dr. Jharrett Bryantt, Superintendent. Alaska School District. Retrieved February 19, 2023. https://www.asdk12.org/superintendent/

2. Feyerick, D. and Steffen, S. (?). 'Sexting' lands teen on sex offender list. CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2023. https://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/07/sexting.busts/

3. Grossman, H. (16 Feb 2023). Alaska board members brawl over silencing dad exposing book on kinks and sexting: 'I'm going to interrupt you'. Fox News. Retrieved on February 19, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/media/alaska-board-members-brawl-silencing-dad-exposing-book-kinks-porn-im-going-interrupt-you

4. Grove, Casey. (06 Oct 2022). Alaska girl’s report leads authorities to arrest ringleader of ‘one of the most malicious’ child porn schemes. Alaska Public Media. https://alaskapublic.org/2022/10/06/alaska-girls-report-leads-authorities-to-arrest-ringleader-of-one-of-the-most-malicious-child-porn-schemes/

5. Watrobski, K. (17 Feb 2023). 'This is for kids': Father cut off from reading sexually explicit library book to Alaskan school board. ABC. Retrieved February 19, 2023. https://ktxs.com/news/nation-world/this-is-for-kids-father-cut-off-from-reading-sexually-explicit-library-book-to-alaskan-school-board-jay-mcdonald-anchorage-alaska