New Jersey college cancels drag queen story hour for kids of school employees

The drag queen story hour scheduled for “Bring Your Child to Work Day” at a New Jersey college was canceled amid concerns from staff members.

Brookdale Community College announced its plans to host a read-along event with drag queen “Harmonica Sunbeam” months in advance of the event, which was scheduled for April 25.

However, the “Drag Queen Story Hour and Craft” was cancelled the night before the event.  

Laura Oncea, a college spokeswoman, said the event was cancelled to respect the “diverse viewpoints” of the staff.  

“Bring Your Child to Work Day was a success at Brookdale Community College, where employees and their children engaged and enjoyed our stigma-free, diverse, and inclusive campus atmosphere,” Oncea told NJ.com.

“As an inclusive community, we understand and respect that parents have the right to decide when and how they want their children to explore diverse ideas. While the Drag Queen read along was intended to promote inclusivity and acceptance, we recognize and acknowledge the diverse viewpoints within our workforce and have opted to respect the comfort levels of all involved.” 

Oncea further commented on the college’s dedication to listening to employees’ concerns.  

“Brookdale would like to reaffirm its commitment to listening to and valuing the concerns of our employees,” Oncea told NJ.com.