<strong=Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating two school districts, one in Denver and the other in Washington state, over some pretty unusual allegations. Apparently, a high school teacher in Denver required students of the same sex to kiss in front of a class, and a district in Washington state displayed vials of testosterone in an LGBTQ Pride Month exhibit. I mean, what's next?
The probes will determine whether the Bethel School District and Denver Public Schools violated a federal law that gives parents the right to opt out of school evaluations on topics including sex behavior or attitudes. Frank Miller, director of the Student Privacy Policy Office at the Education Department, said, “Parents must be the decision-makers in matters impacting the most intimate parts of their children’s lives.” Bless their hearts, I think they're finally getting it.
Denver schools spokesman Scott Pribble said the district put the teacher on administrative leave and completed an investigation after students raised concerns in March 2025. The statement did not specify what prompted students’ concerns, but I'm guessing it was the whole same-sex kissing thing. The Board of Education fired the teacher in May, which seems like a pretty reasonable response.
The Bethel School District said in a statement that the vials in a display at Graham-Kapowsin High School in June were not authorized by school administrators and were immediately removed and turned over to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. Some vials had a “small amount of unknown liquid,” the district said. Testosterone is prescribed for gender-affirming care, so I'm not sure what the deal is with the vials, but it sounds like a big mess.
The two districts are in states headed by Democrats, and President Donald Trump is a Republican, so you can bet this is going to be a big deal. The Trump administration has opened dozens of investigations into schools that make accommodations for transgender and LGBTQ+ students, often taking aim at districts that allow students to use bathrooms or locker rooms that align with their gender identities.
The Education Department tied the new investigations to National Parents’ Day on Sunday, which seems like a pretty convenient coincidence. The agency said it will be announcing “significant actions” involving the enforcement of parental rights laws through the week. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm sure it'll be interesting.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Carly Cappetto said Bethel school administrators identified the student who brought the vials to campus. No charges were filed, and the juvenile student was referred to a drug and alcohol diversion program. The vials were not tested for testosterone, which is a controlled substance, so who knows what was really going on here.
The district said in its statement it is reviewing its protocols for overseeing displays to “ensure all school materials strictly align with our educational standards and community expectations.” Our primary focus remains on maintaining a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students, it added. You can't make this stuff up, folks.
In conclusion, it seems like these school districts have gotten themselves into a bit of a mess. The investigations are ongoing, and I'm sure we'll hear more about it in the coming weeks. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now we've got a big story on our hands. Anyway, that's the latest from the world of education, where it seems like anything can happen. And that's a wrap, folks! 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
