For many millennials, Scholastic’s brand evokes fond childhood memories of book fairs and elementary school reading. But the once-trusted brand, known for classics like Clifford the Big Red Dog, has abandoned the ideals of childhood wonder and innocence and is now using their platform to push LGBT ideology onto unsuspecting kids.

Before he passed away in 2021, Scholastic’s former CEO Dick Robinson shamelessly stated, “We believe Scholastic can make the greatest impact by continuing to promote the work of LGBTQIA+ creators in our publishing, including the support and amplification of transgender and non-binary voices. This year, eight of the ten most challenged books on the American Library Association’s Most Challenged Books List were there because of LGBTQIA+ content, and we are proud that two of them were published by Scholastic: Raina Telgemeier’s Drama and Alex Gino’s George, the #1 most challenged book of last year.” (emphasis added)

George, written by a “genderqueer” man who uses “they” and “mx” pronouns, is about a transgender fourth grade boy who believes he is a girl. The book was later retitled Melissa, after the author realized he had “deadnamed” the book’s protagonist. Below are just two of countless concerning passages in the book:

• “George had been reading websites about transitioning since Scott had taught her how to clear the web browser history on Mom’s computer.”
• “This was called transitioning. You could even start before you were eighteen with pills called androgen blockers that stopped the boy hormones.”

Liberty Council writes that the author, Alex Gino, originally wanted to title the book “Girl George” but Scholastic removed “girl” from the title because “we can sell more copies, we can get it in more hands … there are people who won’t read it with the word girl on it.” Scholastic is actively working to manipulate parents so they can influence innocent children with their ideology.

The other most challenged book that Scholastic is “proud” to have published is Drama, which is marketed toward fifth-eighth grade students (ages 9-14), and includes graphic sexual material and tells children their parents are evil and homophobic if they disagree with the LGBT agenda.

In addition to publishing numerous radical LGBT books for children, Scholastic created a resource guide called “Read With Pride” for educators and caregivers to further push this agenda on their students. The guide states: “Books and literature are never neutral; by engaging with queer literature for children and young adults, you are disrupting the status quo that implies being cisgender, heterosexual, and allosexual are the default. You are showing children an expanded way of thinking and being that validates all children and all people.”

The very fact that Scholastic used the term “allosexual” – meaning anyone who experiences attraction toward other people and is not “asexual” – in this guide shows exactly what kind of propaganda they are allowing in books and feeding to children.

“Scholastic is now complicit in creating the classroom as a factory for the LGBTQ agenda,” Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said. “Innocent children should not be subject to this radical propaganda. Parents and school officials should take a stand and pull these books out of the schools.”

Other major publishing companies are no better. Penguin Random House, the largest trade publisher in the United States, has launched a similar attack on traditional values and pushes LGBT content in schools across the nation. The company even filed a lawsuit against a Florida school district after they banned certain explicit LGBT books.

This all ties back to one concept, a fervent theme at FHA: some knowledge is too heavy for children. We know kids will one day face the reality of the LGBT agenda in the world but at five years old, or even ten years old, they don’t need to be exposed to such topics. Let kids be kids.

Parents, now more than ever it is absolutely critical that you monitor what your children are consuming – whether it’s the curriculum they’re being taught at school, the books they choose to read, or the shows and movies they watch. The agenda of gender confusion is not confined to public schools in Left-leaning states; it is everywhere. The website BookLooks.org provides detailed content reviews from a conservative perspective and could be a helpful resource to help you to consider which books your child should or should not read. The site was founded by a member of Moms for Liberty and is run by a group of “concerned parents who have been frustrated by the lack of resource material for content-based information regarding books accessible to children and young adults.” We encourage you to take advantage of platforms like these and continue to protect the innocence of your children for as long as possible.