New Jersey’s influential teachers union — which has thrown its support behind Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the upcoming governor’s race — will host a woke event just two days after next month’s election celebrating “the vibrant world of drag.”
The event, dubbed “Drag is not a Crime: The Past, Present, and Future of Drag,” will be part of the 200,000-member New Jersey Education Association union’s annual convention in Atlantic City, the graphic for which notably lists “equity” and “justice” ahead of “learning.”
The NJEA Consortium, a project bankrolled by the union that describes itself as “on a mission to put diversity and representation at the forefront of curriculum development,” lists the drag event on its calendar for the weekend conference — which draws thousands of educators from the Garden State and beyond.
“This presentation explores drag’s history, cultural significance, and future, showing how it serves as art, resistance, and activism — challenging norms, advancing LGBTQ+ rights, and promoting social justice and community,” the event’s description reads.
Other wokeness-tinged programs scheduled by the consortium during the conference include “Beyond Awareness: Cultivating Equity Centered Schools through Action” and “Teaching Palestine.”
In September, all 125 members of the NJEA’s PAC Operating Committee endorsed Sherrill as the race with Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli has gone from a runaway in favor of the Democrat to virtually neck-and-neck.
“Drag might not be a crime, but looking the other way while 80% of third graders in some of New Jersey’s schools can’t read at grade level should be,” Ciattarelli strategist Chris Russell said in a statement to The Post.
“The NJEA and far-left politicians like Mikie Sherrill could care less about education or teachers. The NJEA’s core mission is preserving political power, pushing an extreme ‘woke’ agenda on young children, and propping up out-of-touch politicians like Mikie Sherrill who vote against parental rights,” the statement continued.
“When Jack Ciattarelli is Governor, parents are back in charge and the NJEA is in timeout.”
The Sherrill campaign did not respond to a message from The Post seeking comment.
The NJEA — headed up by failed NJ gubernatorial candidate Sean Spiller — has previously promoted drag-focused events at the annual gathering for public school teachers, including a “historic convention first” drag queen story hour in 2022.
“Drag queens Astala Vista and Vinchelle hosted ‘LGBTQIA+ Banned Books – Drag Queen Story Hour’ to answer questions from the audience, take photos in all their dazzling iridescence with NJEA members, and to read ‘And Tango Makes Three,’ ‘Prince and Knight,’ and ‘I am Jazz,’” NJEA said while touting the event.
“I am Jazz,” published in 2014, tells the story of a transgender child’s struggle from the age of two with having “a girl brain but a boy body.”
The post Powerful NJ teacher’s union that’s backing Rep. Mikie Sherrill will host drag queen event days after election appeared first on New York Post.
