Drag queen Jessica L’Whor was a school career day speaker. Upset parents didn’t know
The principal of a Colorado middle school has apologized for not giving parents a heads-up that a drag queen was going to speak to students on career day last week.
Some parents were angry that a performer known as Jessica L’Whor appeared at Rocky Top Middle School in Thornton, Colorado.
According to Principal Chelsea Behanna’s letter to parents, sent on Monday and published by KDVR in Denver, Jessica read a chapter from the book “Horrible Harry’” and talked about bullying.
KDVR reported that though Jessica uses the stage name “Jessica L’Whor,” she introduced herself to students as Ms. Jessica “because she did not think her last name was appropriate for a school setting.”
“This person is an adult entertainer and is talking to 12-year-old students about something that’s adult nature,” parent Heather Rogers told KDVR.
In her letter to parents, Behanna noted that there was a “broad range of careers represented — emergency responders, elected officials, clergy, research assistants, tradespeople, journalists, professional athletes and even a drag queen!”
She wrote that Jessica “explained that she is a performer who, though a man, portrays a woman for her performances. She detailed her background in the performing arts throughout middle and high school, talked about her dream of being a teacher, then explained how she earned a business degree from Colorado State University.
“Jessica then read a great chapter from Horrible Harry in Room 2B by Suzy Kline. She used the text to illustrate the damage bullies can do, the need to always put kindness and acceptance at the forefront, and the shortsightedness of judging a book by its cover. Students were completely engaged and asked lots of great questions.”
Jessica is related to a student at the school, which educates students in grades six through eight, according to CBS 4 in Denver.
“I knew it was going to be controversial because that was nothing that would be allowed when I was in middle school,” Jessica told the CBS station. “At the same time, it opened up a door for conversation.”
She told CBS 4 that in each of the four classes she visited, “one person asked me how to handle negativity and hate. There were a lot of kids interested in how I could have the confidence to go out looking the way I look.”
The school district did not apologize for having the performer appear but did say parents should have been notified before she did.
“I was pretty appalled,” parent Jen Payer told KDVR. “I was pretty surprised. It was a shock because no one was notified.”
Parents “just needed to have more info, and context about what was going to be talked about, and some background on this individual, and they weren’t given that information,” district spokesman Joe Ferdani told the CBS station.
Jessica is getting mostly positive feedback on her Facebook page, where she has posted the news stories generated by her appearance at the school. “I’m so overjoyed and empowered about everything right now it’s unreal!” she wrote on Monday.
“I love that you had the opportunity to speak at a school and I have to say as a mom and a grandma I love watching you transform from a gorgeous man to a gorgeous woman and guess what my 4 yrold grandson watches with me there is nothing wrong with children being aware that it’s not right to bully anyone for race or gender or sexuality we are all human and bleed red when cut,” wrote Ruth Ventura.
“You did more for them kids then you really really know,” wrote Christal Cannon.. “You showed them they can over come bullies and you have so many people looking up to you for you. I wanna say thank you.”
“Good for you!! That principal has NOTHING to apologize for,” wrote Megan Rinderknecht.
Jessica told CBS 4 that she wished parents would consider her visit to the school educational.
“I would tell the parents, ‘I’m not telling your kid to go off and become a drag queen.’ I’m telling them to have the conversations,” she said. “Because, it will come up in life.”