Alaska school board shushes dad for objecting to book teaching kids how to take nude selfies
An Alaska school board shuts down a father who was speaking against sexually explicit books that are found in the children's school library. One of the books teaches them how to send naked pictures to their friends. During the Anchorage School Board meeting on February 7, 2023, Jay McDonald, the father of a child studying there, spoke up about library books that advise kids on watching porn, having a**l sex, and how to edit nude selfies so they are not identified later.
McDonald read a passage from a book called 'Let's Talk About It' by Erica Moen, but he was quickly silenced by the board vice president, Carl Jacobs. This sparked a heated debate among school board members over whether the ruling was justified; the debate sheds light on the issues surrounding some of the sexually explicit material kept in school libraries across the country.
READ MORE
Who is Elana Elster? NYC principal slammed for defending 'pornographic' book in middle school library
Who is Flint? Outrage as teacher brags about showing kids books on BDSM, Grindr, orgies and dildos
Who is Jay McDonald?
McDonald is the father of a daughter who used to study at Anchorage School. He gained the support of many after he was shut down by the school board for speaking about the issue of explicit books in children's libraries. As a concerned father, he now homeschools his daughter. He is also a member of the Alaska Parents' Rights In Education since 2021.
What happened in the meeting?
In a clip from the meeting, McDonald began by introducing himself, before telling members of the board that he was there to speak about his concerns over the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda. "Evening, so I'm Jay McDonald. I'm here to talk about diversity, inclusion, and equity. So, we don’t often see specific examples of what diversity, inclusion, and equity look like. So, today I brought an excellent representation."
McDonald then opened Erica Moen's book, which discusses fantasies and porn for young readers aged 14 to 17, and began reading a chapter about sexting, in which the authors instruct teens on how to take naked selfies without being caught. He said, "This is a book for kids," and then he read the passage.
"Before you start sending your naughty masterpieces around the world, take some time to get friendly with photo editing software and apps. Digital photos are permanent and impossible to retract once they're out there, so keep your recognizable features out of them before you share them. Don’t forget to crop out your face, hide your birthmarks and scars, and edit out your piercings and tattoos - and don't forget to tell your sweetie how hot they look. Let them know you appreciate the little gift they've sent you," he continued reading.
Carl Jacobs interrupts him at this point. He said, "Yeah, I'm going to interrupt you at this point. [It] sounds like you have a concern about a book." He added, "I'd be glad to get connected to the superintendent on our team to go through the appropriate process."
McDonald got a little angry and replied, "I'd appreciate if you don't interrupt my time." But the board member went on to insist that McDonald could no longer speak about the book, as it would go against a precedent set at previous board meetings. Hearing this, Dave Donley, a colleague of Jacobs, stepped in to support McDonald by saying that the father could talk as he was just using words and not showing any pornographic content.
The two got into a heated argument, leading the seven-person board to engage in a vote. Two of the seven members voted in favor of McDonald, while the remaining five are in Jacobs' favor.