New Jersey is at a crossroads, and the powerful teachers’ union is choosing to celebrate what many consider to be an alarming agenda just days after the election. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is set to host a provocative event titled “Drag is not a Crime: The Past, Present, and Future of Drag,” sending a clear message that it prioritizes sensationalism over substantive education.
This radical gathering forms part of the NJEA’s annual convention in Atlantic City and underscores its troubling focus on “equity” and “justice” over actual student learning. The union, boasting 200,000 members, has lost sight of its educational mission and instead indulges in an endless series of “woke” initiatives that divert attention from what truly matters in our schools.
With the NJEA Consortium pushing this agenda, we see an alarming trend pushing the boundaries of cultural relevance at the expense of basic educational standards. The event promises to delve into drag as a form of “art, resistance, and activism,” aiming to normalize a sensationalist narrative while neglecting the fundamental rights of our children to receive a proper education.
There’s more—other sessions at this convention, such as “Teaching Palestine” and “Beyond Awareness: Cultivating Equity Centered Schools through Action,” further expose the left’s obsession with ideology rather than academics. Meanwhile, a staggering 80% of third graders in New Jersey are unable to read at grade level. This is unacceptable.
Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli’s strategist aptly pointed out that while “drag may not be a crime, looking the other way as our children fall behind certainly should be.” The NJEA’s loyalty lies not with educators or students but with perpetuating far-left policies that serve their political interests. It’s time for accountability.
Ciattarelli is poised to hold the NJEA responsible when he becomes governor. He has a vision where parents regain control of their children’s education, rather than being sidelined by a union pushing an extreme agenda.
The silence from the Sherrill campaign is telling—clearly they cannot justify these choices. The NJEA, led by Sean Spiller, has previously glamorized drag events in educational settings, such as drag queen story hours that blur the lines of childhood innocence.
This is a wake-up call for all parents and concerned citizens. We deserve a system that prioritizes education, not ideology. As we head to the polls, let’s remember—it’s time to take back our schools.
