A Wisconsin high school French teacher performed in drag for students during an assembly designed to highlight the “fine arts” at the school.
During Fine Arts Week last week at Middleton High School, which immediately touts itself “inclusive, innovative, inspiring” on its website, Matthew Kashdan cavorted on the auditorium stage dressed in a revealing blue sequined dress, red boots, and a blond wig.
According to a report of the event at Empower Wisconsin, a conservative news hub, Kashdan danced while lip-syncing the tune “Rain on Me,” recorded by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.
Details on the drag queen incident from @EmpowerWi via @VickiMcKenna.https://t.co/tF3cWe8Yuo
— Dan Lennington (@DanLennington) April 12, 2022
“It was all a surprise to the assembled students,” the report noted.
A video of Kashdan’s performance was sent to conservative talk host Vicki McKenna.
“I send my children to school and entrust them to teachers that I have to believe are professionals who won’t destroy their innocence for their own pleasure,” wrote a Middleton-Cross Plains Area Schools parent to McKenna, adding:
If MATTHEW KASHDAN makes a decision to perform his drag show at school, what else does he do in his classroom with a roomful of children? What kind of educators thought this was appropriate? Drag shows are “fine arts”? If a teacher is a pole dancer or stripper, can they also perform for my children?
“I don’t care what MATTHEW KASHDAN does outside of school,” the parent asserted. “I DO CARE what he does at Middleton High School.”
The video was picked up by the Twitter account known as Libs of Tik Tok:
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1513932643494084609
Kashdan describes himself at his LinkedIn account as a “French Teacher at Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District.”
“I have been a French teacher at both the middle and high school levels for the past five years,” Kashdan writes, but adds he is “currently looking to shift away from K-12 public education and into higher education study abroad programming and advising.”
He notes:
My particular area of interest within study abroad is working with students of varying identities and tailoring study abroad experiences that will best fit where they are and what will be safe. I have a passion for sharing my love of the world and global perspectives with students. I hope to inspire others to take the time to step outside their comfort zone and experience the world.
On her show Tuesday, McKenna expressed to Dr. Duke Pesta, an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin who also serves as a policy advisor with The Heartland Institute, the drag performance was another example of “grooming kids.”
“And parents are afraid to object to the behavior of this teacher,” she continued. “And if parents are afraid to object to this behavior, what are parents not objecting to that goes on where you can’t see it?”
“This is about convincing children – about convincing people – that ‘alt’ sexuality is the preferred sexuality,” McKenna asserted.
Pesta likened Kashdan’s performance to that of “a child … a narcissistic child” playing to “a group of children who have never been told it was coming.”
“No consent forms, no, no agreement on those kids to give up their educational time to sit there and watch a grown man beclown himself,” he continued. “This is something much more than just acceptance. This is, ‘You will celebrate this, you will cheer this on.’”
Pesta noted the “new mantra” among LGBTQ activists is “everyone is gay, and everyone is trans, see, because there’s no such thing as male and female.”
The threat of “cancellation” backs up this latest delusion that biological sex no longer exists, Pesta said, explaining the “new mantra”:
There is no such thing as heterosexuality. You need men and women for heterosexuality and we’ve already erased it, and, therefore, now they’re coming for heterosexuality. Everybody is gay. Everybody is trans. There are no straight people. And right there, you’ve gotten to a point now, it’s not just tolerance. It’s not just acceptance. Now the only way you’re going to be able to be truly bonafide as an LGBTQ ally, is if you start to persecute heteronormativity, heterosexuality, and people who think they’re straight.
The Wisconsin Daily Star reached out to Shannon Valladolid, the school district’s director of information and public relations, for responses to the following questions, and is awaiting a reply:
- Who approved the performance?
- Were students’ parents consulted about the performance before it took place?
- Were students told about the performance beforehand?
- Has the school issued an apology or notice of approval for the performance?
- How are you handling the situation of students who do not feel safe in the school after viewing the performance, but feel they cannot express that lack of safety now to any adults in the school?
Valladolid reportedly responded to Empower Wisconsin’s questions, stating Fine Arts Week is an annual event at Middleton High School that gives students and staff the opportunity to feature their talents in various areas of the performing arts.
“The week is full of performances that are enjoyed by students and staff alike,” Valladolid reportedly wrote in an email. “Performances range from music to dance to martial arts, culinary arts, visual arts, language arts, and other arts that fit our extensive definition of The Arts.”
Apparently, the district spokeswoman said the school has never sought parents’ permission for students to attend the events in the past, and that the week typically ends with a talent show performed by staff, one “that historically has been a very popular part of the week.”
According to the report, Valladolid said staff performances are vetted by the high school’s teaching faculty, and added the school had only received one complaint from a parent about the drag performance, as of Tuesday.
“The school is reviewing protocols and processes going forward to make sure all perspectives are considered,” Valladolid reportedly said.
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Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Drag Teacher” by VickiMcKenna.
