The administration at Chicago’s Francis Parker School and many parents are strongly defending the school’s comprehensive sex ed curriculum, including presenting sex toys to a small group of high schoolers.
After a secretly recorded video discussing a queer sex ed lesson at Chicago’s Francis Parker School was widely circulated recently, subjecting the school to a torrent of online harassment, school leaders strongly defended its “LGBTQ+ affirming and comprehensive approach” to sexual education.
But the one-time session, which included showing high school students dildos and butt plugs, is raising questions both inside and outside of Parker about the school’s approach to sexual education.
The video was covertly recorded by an operative of the far-right group Project Veritas who Parker said presented himself as an attendee at an education conference. It shows the Parker dean of student life discussing the sex toy portion of the optional lesson for high schoolers and his strong support for it. New York-based Project Veritas is known for edited undercover videos intended to discredit progressive groups and media outlets.
In an email to the school community last week, Parker’s principal said just six students, mostly seniors, attended the 30 minute one-time session presented by an outside LGBTQ+ health group, and that school adults were present.
“The health care practitioners presented information and materials related to safe sex practices which were designed to combat misinformation on the internet,” the email said. “The experts provided information in a clear and respectful manner aimed to meet the specific needs of our Upper School LGBTQ+ students.”
