The San Jose City Council weighed in on the school board wars last week, condemning the conservative group Informed Parents of Silicon Valley (IPSV) for what it calls anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.
IPSV has been encouraging parents to opt their children out of sex education. Flyers distributed by the organization allege public schools are deliberately sowing “gender confusion” and encouraging gender transitioning.
“Your children are at risk!” the flyers warn.
Councilmember Pam Foley called the literature inappropriate.
The flyers “contain misinformation and hateful dog whistles that target our LGBTQ community,” she added.
Foley co-authored the resolution with Omar Torres, the council's first openly gay member. The resolution, which also affirmed support for the LGBTQ+ community, passed unanimously.
IPSV founder Larry Pegram denies his group is anti-LGBTQ. Pegram said he just wants to see greater choice for parents, especially when it comes to classroom discussions or material that may be unsuitable for children. His group is now threatening to sue San Jose.
Pegram’s group and other like-minded conservative organizations set their sights on school board elections last year, and they plan to do it again. But they’ll face more pushback this time around. After a year of fights over book bans, critical race theory, LGBTQ flags, and trans notification policies, progressives are energized too. The San Jose City Council’s resolution is further evidence of that.