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Parents in Columbus should be asking a simple question: why are our youngest children being invited to march alongside teachers in a Pride parade? What was billed as an expression of “courageous visibility” has become a school-led invitation for preschoolers to participate in events that many families would prefer to decide about in private. This is not about tolerance; it’s about schools stepping over a line.
What Happened at the Columbus Pride Parade
The Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade, titled “Until We’re All Free,” is scheduled for June 20 and the district partnered with the Columbus Education Association to invite the whole school community — including students as young as three and four — to attend. That means teachers, unions and administrators are actively encouraging preschoolers and elementary kids to participate in a public parade centered on adult political and cultural themes. Call it civic engagement if you want, but most parents call it intrusive.
Why Parents Should Be Concerned
There’s a difference between teaching respect for classmates and parading children into adult-aimed events. Pride parades often include explicit symbolism and performances that are aimed at adults. When school officials act as cheerleaders and shepherd kids into those spaces, they are making decisions parents should make for themselves. Taxpayer-funded schools have a duty to educate, not to recruit or normalize adult-oriented identity politics to preschoolers.
And No, This Isn’t “Just a Parade”
We’ve seen the same playbook in other cities — drag story times at libraries, branded Pride events at taxpayer venues, and districts that treat activism as curriculum. It’s cute to call it “visibility” until you realize visibility can become indoctrination when it’s mandatory or school-sponsored. If you prefer your three-year-old learn the alphabet rather than the latest urban culture war talking points, you’re not being extreme — you’re being a parent.
Political Cover and What Voters Should Do
Don’t let politicians pretend this is only about community celebration. Senate candidate James Talarico and others who claim the moderate high ground while supporting these kinds of events are trying to have it both ways. Voters should demand clarity: are local schools supposed to be neutral educational institutions or activist outposts? The answer matters at the ballot box and at school board meetings. Parents need to show up, ask tough questions, and take back control of what their kids experience during school hours.
Ultimately, this is about common sense and parental rights. Schools should encourage diversity of thought and protect every child’s innocence until a parent decides differently. If district leaders want to participate in Pride as private citizens, fine. But using school time, staff and student invitations to push a political agenda is a different matter — and parents should not be silent while it happens.
