Once upon a time, and what seems like long, long ago, parents lived in a nation where they didn’t have to worry about their children eating donuts in the library during a school-sponsored activity. They just assumed that if the event took place on school grounds, it would be educational, wholesome, or at least safe.

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Fast-forward to 2023. The times have changed dramatically, and nowadays parents must become detectives as they investigate what’s being promoted in their local schools. Many of the clues are well hidden, while others are in plain sight. Though some might overlook what the magnifying glass reveals, others expose it to the light.

Recently, an event known as Drag and Donuts was exposed in the light, causing an uproar among parents in central Florida. Scheduled to take place at Boone High School, in Orlando, on March 23, 2023, the after-school activity would feature a drag queen known by the name Momma Ashley Rose. Many parents were made aware of the event through a flyer circulated by the high school’s QAA (Queer and Ally Alliance) Club, while others saw social media posts advertising it. One shocked grandmother heard the announcement over the loudspeaker while waiting to pick up her grandchild. Florida’s Voice reported: “Livid parents and grandparents called a meeting with Boone High School administrators after learning about the event.” Parents also emailed members of the school board and the superintendent, as well as the parental rights division of the Florida Department of Education to express their concerns.

School Board Member Alicia Farrant voiced her concerns over the event through a Facebook post that stated: “I have been made aware of a drag queen event that will be happening at one of our high schools. I am looking into this to get further details but would like parents to know that I do NOT condone this type of event. We need to be RAISING the standard of excellence in our schools and helping students excel academically, not inviting drag queens in to eat donuts with our children.”

On March 22, 2023, the Orange County Public Schools canceled Drag and Donuts. A public release said, “As a result of a call from the Florida Department of Education today, the event has been canceled. The Department questioned whether the event was age and developmentally appropriate and indicated that any administrator, teacher, or staff member in attendance may be investigated and jeopardize their professional license.”

Hector Maestre, principal of Boone High School, sent an email to parents which stated, in part: “The event, Drag and Donuts, was not a drag show, but an opportunity for students to hear a positive message of acceptance and love. This was to be the third year the speaker has addressed this club.”

Farrant later posted: “Canceling the drag queen speaker was a direct order from Tallahassee and I support their decision as an act of morality and principles that our public schools must uphold. This decision will not take away students’ rights to invite special speakers to after school meetings in the future, however, adult entertainment speakers in any form should never be permissible in our public schools to speak to or mentor minors. The Department of Education will not tolerate anything that jeopardizes the high standard that we are obligated to uphold.”

Momma Ashley Rose, whose real name is Jason DeShazo and who dubs himself “the Disney channel of drag,” explained that he had planned to speak to members of the school’s Queer and Ally Alliance Club about life as a gay man and to answer any questions the students had. “Churches and all these people were sharing hateful stuff about the events,” he said. “It’s not just at Boone. It’s stuff that’s happening in our own town.” He also wrote via text: “I find it very hard to believe that the greatest threat to our children in school is a drag queen spreading the message that you’re loved, accepted and wanted no matter who you are.”

DeShazo, who lives in Lakeland and has been doing drag for over 20 years, says he has spoken to many clubs during after-school events, including three in Polk County. Additionally, he heads a foundation called Rose Dynasty. The foundation’s website says: “We mentor LGBTQ+ youth while working with youth of all ages on the autism spectrum. Over the last several years we have helped raise thousands of dollars for charities, community outreaches, and nonprofits for many states, from California to Florida, utilizing drag shows, dinner shows, variety shows, carnivals and children’s shows. Annually holding the only family friendly, charity-based drag queen pageant Miss Rose Dynasty.”

Proponents of drag-queen shows, such as professor Domenick Scudera, who has taught classes on the history of drag, defend the practice by insisting: “Drag performance has existed since the beginning of recorded history. Men dressed as women in theater productions in ancient Greece, in Shakespeare’s era and still do in modern Britain, where popular Christmas pantomime shows spoof children’s stories and often involve a ‘panto dame,’ or a man playing a female character. Children being around men in a dress–for many centuries that was considered family entertainment.”

As Christians, we know that the Serpent loves to twist and turn and distort the truth. The Enemy has a talent for hiding and deflecting the obvious issue, which in this case is the sexualization of children. Those who defend drag make ill-gotten comparisons that echo the words of Isaiah 5:20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  

Central Florida parents were relieved after getting word that Drag and Donuts had been canceled. Their voices had been heard and prompt action was taken. But even though the scheduled drag performer was canceled, at least 80 students showed up anyway for the Queer and Ally Alliance meeting, to show support. A redesigned flyer (with the drag-queen picture removed) was retitled “Donuts and Florida Education Policy,” and it read: “Join us for an open discussion about Florida’s education policy in light of recent events.” One concerned grandparent, however, filed a freedom of information request to find out who spoke to the students at the meeting that day, and what, specifically, had been discussed.

The battle is fierce, and the stakes are high. Our kids’ identities and lives are the target. If we sit out this fight and do not get involved, we are allowing the Enemy to tempt our kids with the forbidden fruit — in this case, a donut. The Serpent used convincing words to persuade Eve to eat and then share what God had already declared was prohibited. This led to the Fall. The trickery being used right now is that drag shows are “kind,” “loving,” and help those who are “different” to be accepted. But this is a path that leads to enmity with God, rather than love.

When there’s a battle in our schools, parents must move quickly to the front lines and face the situation head-on. As the Enemy tries to push morality and righteousness backward, the front line keeps moving forward — without compromise. Ephesians 6 reminds us to stand against the schemes of the adversary, using the sword of the spirit to declare the word of God. Parents must hold up this sword and cut right though the Enemy’s lies by openly declaring the truth that God’s design is for sex to occur between a man and a woman who are married. Additionally, there are only two genders, male and female, and God has created us in His image (see Genesis 1:27). It’s contrary to God’s design when humans engage in sex with those of the same gender, or with multiple partners, and/or have sex outside of marriage (see Romans 1:18–32; 1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2). Furthermore, when they try to become another sex, either through surgery or simply by dressing like the other sex, it’s an act of rebellion as detailed in Deuteronomy 22:5 and Romans 1:24–27. The LGBTQ movement is pushing our children to love sin. The Bible says: No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep sinning, because he has been born of God (1 John 3:9).

The promotion of sexual content in the schools has become a clear battleground that has drawn the attention of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the Parental Rights in Education Bill, which bans classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity, from kindergarten through third grade. Also, in April the Florida Senate passed a bill (SB 1438) aimed at blocking children from attending drag shows. In a recent press conference titled Exposing the Book Ban Hoax, DeSantis revealed the graphic pornographic content of books found in Florida schools, such as Flamer, This Book is Gay; Gender Queer; and Let’s Talk About It. These books’ content include such subjects as masturbation, how to engage in sex acts, “the ins and outs of gay sex,” and even how to hook up on online apps. The content is so explicit that the live stream from new stations covering the press conference was cut off on social media.

While opponents of removing sexually explicit books decry censorship, DeSantis emphasized: “Every minute you spend focusing on some of this pornographic stuff, that’s less time you’re spending on doing the things that really matter to our kids in terms of them getting the education they need.”

The Drag and Donuts event became a battleground because it dealt with the sexualization of children. There are many parents and teachers who have been knee-deep in the trenches as the war on identity rages all around them. In fact, a friend of mine found herself donning combat clothes several years ago, when she discovered an inappropriate book titled This Book is Gay in her son’s classroom library. She brought her concerns to the school and its board, but soon realized that getting those in charge to listen and act was difficult. Oftentimes, she found herself being volleyed from one leader or board member to another. She discovered that school districts, public libraries, and booksellers often shirk the responsibility of protecting children from pornographic materials by citing the guidelines of the American Library Association — geared toward eliminating “censorship” and not toward protecting children. While my friend was successful in getting this particular book removed from the classroom library, there would be other books. On the front lines of each battle, she was attacked from all sides.

After Drag and Donuts was canceled, I attended the April 11, 2023, OCPS school board meeting, which was packed to the walls with students, parents, teachers, and community members. At least 40 speakers took to the podium, with a large proportion voicing their opinions about the event. There were passionate speakers who spoke bravely about the need to protect our children. Jonathan Farrant, husband of school board member Alicia and the father of their five children, had this to say: “God put my wife up there — and if this board continues to push back against wholesome principles, that is between you and God Almighty. Farrant leadership, values and principles will not be rattled or shaken. We will always stand for the values and principles that made our nation great. Grown men dressed up as women have no place on OCPS campuses. The question is why would any school board member want to open the door for any adult entertainer to access our children? If parents want their children mentored by drag queens, they can do that outside of our campuses. I’m thankful to our good friend Manny Diaz in the Department of Education for upholding these same values and principles. I admire you [District 3] — you fear the disapproval of God more than you fear the disapproval of man. Sometimes standing for what’s right, you have to stand alone.”

In the meeting, there were also groups of students, parents, and educators who decried the need for validation and affirmation of the LGBTQ lifestyle. Negative comments were directed at Farrant, the courageous school board member who made it clear that she wanted to uphold morality and protect students. Sitting in my chair watching the meeting, I felt like I was in the middle of a lion’s den. The lions who supported drag queens came out in large numbers, surrounding the “Daniels” who stood for righteousness. In that moment, I realized that Christians have to show up for this battle! Like Daniel, they must move the line forward, facing the lions without fear or compromise. In the end, it is God Himself who will shut the mouths of those who exalt themselves above the truth.

At the heart of this matter is an idea expressed beautifully by Corrie ten Boom in her book, The Hiding Place.

“Oftentimes I would use the trip home to bring up things that were troubling me. … Once, I must have been 10 or 11, I asked father about a poem we had read at school the winter before. One line had described ‘a young man whose face was not shadowed by sexsin.’ I had been far too shy to ask the teacher what it meant. … So the line had stuck in my head. … And so, seated next to Father on the train compartment, I suddenly asked, ‘Father, what is sexsin?’ He turned to look at me, as he always did when answering a question, but to my surprise he said nothing. At last, he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over our heads, and set it on the floor. ‘Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?’ he said. I stood up and tugged at it. It was crammed with the watches and spare parts he had purchased that morning. ‘It’s too heavy,’ I said. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little daughter to carry such a load. It’s the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it. For now, you must trust me to carry it for you.’ And I was satisfied. More than satisfied, wonderfully at peace.”

Whether it’s events like Drag and Donuts or books that contain sexually charged content, we are asking our children to carry loads that are too heavy for them. Like Father ten Boom, we should be protecting their innocence at all costs. These days, some knowledge is not only heavy, but deceptive and destructive.

Something quite amazing happened the very day and time the Drag and Donuts event was originally scheduled to take place. A friend of mine said she was driving by Boone High School and saw a plane spelling out JESUS LOVES YOU in the sky. She was overjoyed when she saw it in the air, hovering above students as they were leaving school. This awesome God-incidence reminds us that what these children really need is Jesus! Certainly, there are kids who are struggling with their identity and experiencing confusion and even depression. We pray they would know that Jesus loves them, and is more than able to help them see their true identity in Him.

A YouTube video titled “We went to a drag brunch for kids” features DeShazo sharing: “I grew up in a religious family. I was a youth pastor — I was a worship pastor — I did ministry pretty much my whole life from a child on, and I knew I was gay. I knew who I was, and it was a struggle, because the religion, the organization I was part of, obviously, did not accept who I was. I felt not good enough, and no matter what I did, I wasn’t going to be good enough for God, I wasn’t going to be good enough for these people.” DeShazo insists that what he’s doing will help others, so they can feel the love and acceptance he didn’t receive when he was growing up. Regarding his shows and events, he adds: “As we used to say in church days, come in and leave changed.”

DeShazo and so many others in the LGBTQ community consistently use “love” as the reason for spreading their message to others. But love isn’t accepting, approving, or condoning sin. The real definition of love is a Savior who willingly died on the cross for our sins so that we might turn from those sins and be free. Jesus didn’t give His life so that we would ignore and approve of sin, but rather, so that we could be released from its bondage. DeShazo says that in “church days” you would “come in and leave changed.” This is what Jesus can do for anyone who comes to Him and is willing to repent. In the end, we can change our clothes and our hair, and even try to change our sex, but none of this will ever lead to true change. The change we need can come only through the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ. Oh, how this generation needs to feel and understand this love. What the plane wrote in the sky is true: Jesus Loves You!

Lord Jesus, we pray for Your perfect love to surround our youth and those caught up in this sinful lifestyle. Your perfect love casts out all fear and brings the lost to redemption. Thank You for the students, parents, teachers, school board members and state leaders of our nation who continue working on the front lines to uphold righteousness and truth. We lift them up to You.

Where have you seen parents, teachers, and leaders battling for our children? How would you pray for anyone caught up in these sins?

Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger, and home-schooling mom who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the U.S. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. Her latest book, Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus, was released in June 2021. Photo Credit: MuiZur on Unsplash.