A Washington mother has announced she is withdrawing her children from Martha Lake Elementary School in the Edmonds School District after a Pride-themed lesson was presented in a music class without prior parental notification or an opportunity to opt out.

Maria Varchetto stated she received no advanced notice, was not given a chance to review the lesson, and was not informed about the topic's discussion. She also noted the absence of an option for her children to participate in an alternative activity.

The lesson, shown on June 15 to fourth-grade students, included a video titled "Why is Pride in June" from the YouTube channel "Queer Kid Stuff." This channel describes itself as an "LGBTQ+ educational webseries for children ages 3+ hosted by a tie-wearing queer lady, Lindsay, and her non-binary best-stuffed friend, Teddy. Gender Studies 101 meets Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood!"

According to Varchetto, the lesson also featured videos of musicians from the LGBTQ+ community, such as Freddie Mercury of Queen, Lil Nas X, and Billy Porter. Her daughter recalled hearing during the lesson that students could identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, asexual, nonbinary, or Two-Spirit.

Varchetto expressed her decision to remove her children, stating, "We are 100% removing our kids from this school as I have no trust in the leadership." She added, "I feel mad they did this, mad they hid it. I feel insulted, offended, angry, and sad that my kids are now being taken out of a lifestyle they've grown to love, away from the friendships they've built, all because this one teacher didn't care to ask permission and a principal lied and hid it."

In response, a spokesperson for the Edmonds School District stated that the lesson was not part of a districtwide Pride curriculum. The spokesperson explained it was a music lesson developed by the school's music teacher that highlighted the contributions of influential musicians, including some who identify as LGBTQ+.

"The purpose of the lesson was to teach music and music history through the lives and contributions of notable artists," the spokesperson said. "Discussions about an artist’s background or identity were included as relevant biographical context, similar to how students may learn about other aspects of historical figures’ lives that helped shape their experiences and contributions."

The district affirmed, "We expect instructional materials to be age-appropriate and aligned with district expectations and state standards. As with any concern raised about classroom instruction, we will work with the school administrator to determine whether they met those expectations."

Varchetto initially sought to obtain a copy of the lesson materials but was informed they could only be reviewed in person. She also noted that while cultural lessons were taught monthly, Pride month was not initially listed among them.

The district did not immediately confirm whether the lesson adhered to all district policies regarding parental notification and opt-out procedures for sensitive topics.