Washington parent withdraws children after undisclosed Pride music lesson

Maria Varchetto announced she is removing her children from Martha Lake Elementary in the Edmonds School District after discovering a Pride-focused segment was shown during a fourth-grade music class on June 15. The video, titled “Why is Pride in June,” came from the YouTube series “Queer Kid Stuff,” which presents LGBTQ+ topics to young audiences. Varchetto says the school provided no email, handout, or chance for parents to opt out, and she was denied electronic copies of the lesson plan.

She also noted additional content included clips of LGBTQ+ musicians such as Freddie Mercury, Lil Nas X, and Billy Porter. The district’s spokesperson clarified that the lesson was created by the music teacher to teach music history and that discussions of artists’ identities were meant as contextual background, not a districtwide curriculum. The school said it will review whether the instruction met age-appropriateness and state standards.