Rantz: Teacher levels ‘veiled threat’ against parents on LGBT lesson plan

A Bothell music teacher offered a not-so-subtle warning to parents to not pull their kids from his upcoming LGBT-themed lesson. One outraged parent is calling it a “veiled threat.”

Adam Bacot teaches music at Lockwood Elementary in the Northshore School District. He informed parents of an upcoming lesson on the music of Elton John and Freddy Mercury to “bring awareness to the fact that they are gay and that not being hetero-normative (an inclusive way of saying not the same as the majority) is ok.”

But students should be aware of the consequences of skipping out on the lesson. In fact, Bacot offered a warning to those who wish to be excluded from the discussion.

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The ‘veiled threat’

Though the class is supposed to cover music, Bacot emailed parents that he’d focus on a number of non-music-related materials.

I will keep my discussions age-appropriate by focusing on these points:

● Some families have two moms/dads

● People should be able to love whoever they want

● People who are not hetero-normative have been treated unfairly and that’s not right

● Everyone should be proud of who they are

The lesson is optional. Bacot wrote that if “these points are contrary to the beliefs that you and your family teach, please instruct your child to quietly excuse themselves and go to [another teacher’s] music portable until the discussion is over.”

But your child would likely be ostracized if they do, Bacot warned.

“I would also recommend that you prepare your child to answer the inevitable questions that other students may have about why they left. Our students are curious, compassionate, and inclusive so they may wonder,” he warned.

As one parent who forwarded me the email noted, this is a “veiled threat” to keep your kids in the class.

Blatant gaslighting

Bacot wants parents to know he is inclusive and on the right side of the issues. And if you disagree with him, you’re a bigot.

Bacot is using his music class to pursue a political agenda — one I mostly agree with, but one wholly disconnected from music class. And it’s less about preaching inclusivity as it is about a teacher labeling himself a hero for his positions. Gay people are props for him to use to present himself as evolved on an issue. It’s embarrassing, self-righteous gaslighting at its most transparent. And it’s why I wouldn’t trust him to lead a lesson plan on this topic.

The email seems intended to pressure parents to keep students in the class for fear that they’ll be called out for dipping out of the class. That, of course, likely wouldn’t happen. Elementary students don’t care about the sexual orientation of two singers they don’t care about and likely never heard of.

Neither district spokesperson Lisa Youngblood Hall nor Bacot responded to requests for comment.

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