Missouri parents are asking what schools, mayor knew about drag performances attended by middle schoolers
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe (second from left) poses with drag performers and keynote speaker Renee Montgomery at the event attended by…


Mayor Barbara Buffaloe (second from left) poses with drag performers and keynote speaker Renee Montgomery at the event attended by middle schoolers. (via Facebook)
Public officials in Columbia, Missouri are on the spot to explain themselves after exposing school children to drag performances under the guise of a diversity celebration for MLK Day.
None of the schools informed parents the celebration would include drag performances and there is some indication that they purposefully kept the information from parents.
Middle school children from at least three schools attended the diversity breakfast sponsored by the cityâs Office of Cultural Affairs, along with Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, the Libs of TikTok website reported.
The report includes a photo of a permission slip for students of Columbiaâs Smithton Middle School that failed to mention the drag performances by a group called NClusion+, an organization that dubs itself âa new-age, next-level club that features all things LGBTQIA+.â
The school discouraged parental attendance by noting on the permission slip: âWe do not have tickets for family members of students.âÂ
Instead, parents were encouraged to either allow the schools to provide transportation or to drop the students off at the Holiday Inn Expo Center where the event took place. Â
When parents contacted the Columbia Public Schools board president, David Seamon, raising concerns about not being informed of the LQBTQ program, he dismissed their concerns, saying that âother than the keynote speaker most of the program is unknown to the public.â  Â
Seamonâs LinkedIn profiles claims he is also Senior Operations Manager for Scholastic, the worldâs largest textbook publishing company.Â
Prior to that, he was operations manager at Jefferson City, Missouri, for three years. Â
Seamonâs explanation about the failure to notify parents of the drag performances seems implausible as a website for the mayorâs office clearly advertised the drag show as including âentertainment by NClusion+,â as critics have noted.  Â
âI am appalled with Columbia Public Schools thinking it’s appropriate for children to attend a drag show. I am even more disturbed that our Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary, school administrators and school board members were present and let it happen. Especially when parents were not told their kids were going to a drag show,â said one parent, according to the report.Â
Michelle Baumstark, public relations director for Columbia Public Schools, was also in attendance, and shared a photo of some members of the school board with the progressive âinclusion and diversityâ slogan, âForever Forward,â via her Twitter account.
Members of the #CPSBest Board and administration joined our community in remaining Forever Forward at the Columbia Values Diversity Celebration honoring the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. @CoMoGov @comoarts #diversity #unity #community pic.twitter.com/2EuOzVohmt
— Michelle Baumstark (@mbaumstark) January 19, 2023
The Lionâs repeated attempts to contact Mayor Buffaloe via email and telephone went unanswered, as did calls to Baumstark and most Columbia School Board members. Â
 One board member who was reached by telephone said she was familiar with the incident, but wouldnât talk to an out-of-town reporter about it. Â
âI am not in a position to talk to a reporter about itâŚI don’t want to talk to an out-of-town reporter about it. I would consider talking to a local reporter about it after doing some more thoughtful reflection,â board member Suzette Waters told The Lion. Â
Gov. Mike Parson expressed his concern on Friday in a tweet:Â
We are deeply concerned about reports that Columbia middle school students were subjected to adult performers during what is historically a MLK Day celebration. This is unacceptable.
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) January 20, 2023
Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden said on Thursday his office has been âinundatedâ with calls and emails, vowing to take action in the legislature.Â
I will use all the resources at my disposal to stand up for kids and their parents, especially in instances where they don't feel like their voice is being heard. #MOLeg
— Caleb Rowden (@calebrowden) January 20, 2023