Arizona school district’s new PE resources produced by woke publishers, emphasize inclusivity and gender identity

An Arizona parental rights group learned its local school district approved two physical education resources, published by organizations advocating for leftist gender and racial ideology.

Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity is concerned that the PE curricula “is no longer about physical activity.”

The group discovered the Scottsdale Unified School District approved the two physical education resources from Everfi and Quaver Health.

Quaver Health is aligned with SHAPE National Standards. Its website shows it advocates for transgender inclusion and provides resources for trans students.

“Much of sport is organized by sex or gender; however, not every student fits into or identifies with the binary of male and female,” the introduction reads.  

It cites Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) resources throughout its resources. GLSEN recommends “all students have access to the locker rooms and bathrooms they feel safest using.”  

The organization also provides recommendations for how schools can “prepare for travel and overnights” with transgender and nonbinary athletes. If the rooms or cabins are divided by gender, GLSEN says “transgender and nonbinary students should choose the room or cabin they feel the safest using.” 

It also recommends educators and staff should ask a student to “identify other students they would feel safe rooming or bunking with.” 

In SHAPE America’s Model Policy, it suggests the transgender-inclusion policies should be for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12, and they should “focus on enabling students to participate in physical education classes, intramural sports and interscholastic athletics according to their self-affirmed gender identity.” 

Everfi offers Health & Wellness and social emotional learning (SEL) lessons, but the company also offers financial literacy and history lessons. Its history lessons promote progressive ideals, such as Affirmative Action and the Black Lives Matter movement. 

The company also connects diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to Pride Night and sexual orientation in a post about how DEI should inform “community engagement efforts.” 

For financial and investing strategies, Everfi based its standards on those of Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), an organization parental rights advocates say promote critical race theory, gender ideology and social justice education. 

During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and riots, CASEL President & CEO Karen Niemi said in an online webinar – called “SEL As a Lever for Equity and Social Justice” – that there is “no system more important than education to fighting against racism” and “SEL is a tool for anti-racism.” 

The webinar also included a slide focused on Transformative SEL, “where students critically analyze sociopolitical forces and take action to fight injustice.” 

It uses the CASEL Five Competency Framework of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. It gives “racial” and “gendered identities” as examples of self-awareness, and it uses “distributive justice” as an example of responsible decision making. 

“In an age when our education system is prioritizing feelings and ideology over academics, parents must be the first line of defense in protecting their family values,” a spokesperson for Scottsdale Unites told The Lion. “Talk to your kids – tell them they are already the perfect gender.  

“Take the time to visit your child’s school and review the curriculum. Read your district’s school board policies. Vote for board members whose values align with yours. Join a group with like-minded parents and make your voice heard.”