Michigan school district cancels proposed lesson on ‘tree,’ ‘ze’ pronouns after backlash [Video]

A Michigan school district canceled a proposed optional lesson for first graders about novel gender pronouns, including “tree” and “ze,” citing security concerns.

“The goal of the voluntary mini-lesson was to help promote Dewitt Public Schools’ vision of a safe, nurturing, and supportive learning environment where all learners can succeed,” DeWitt Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Shanna Spickard wrote in a message on April 19 to the district’s families and staff. “Unfortunately, it has become a major disruption and distraction to that vision in which our staff, administrators, and students feel unsafe.”

Schavey Road Elementary School in DeWitt, Michigan, had sent a letter on April 11 informing parents of the school’s plans through the optional lesson to “help students share and explore pronouns through discussion and literature to embrace differences and promote acceptance.”

Following the announcement, Spickard said staff members had received inappropriate, angry and threatening phone calls, emails and social media messages, and the lesson was …