What started out as a school board controversy in Encinitas, a San Diego suburb, ended up in a court of law. In May of 2024, a “Buddy” program at La Costa Heights Elementary School decided to delve into gender ideology, but failed to allow parents to opt their children out of the lesson. 

Featuring a boy who sees his shadow as pink instead of blue, My Shadow is Pink promotes the idea that children can change their own gender, encouraging kids to find the color of their shadow described as “your inner-most you.” The story displays the boy learning to cope with being true to his inner self, starting when he decides to wear a dress on his first day of school. His dad, originally full of “anxiety and stress” about the issue, changes his mind and puts on a dress too. He encourages his son to wear a dress to school, and if anyone doesn’t like it, then “they are the fool.”

The Encinas’ fifth-grade son, a strong Christian, was very uncomfortable with being used as a mouthpiece for views contrary to his beliefs. Carlos approached the school with two requests: notification when sensitive topics would be read in school and an allowance for his children to opt-out of participation. Unfortunately, both requests were denied.

Adults under this type of pressure cave, so the fact that Carlos expressed his discomfort at such a young age is a reflection of his steadfast character, and the character of this family. The Encinases and other parents took their concerns to the Encinitas Union School District Board. But as is typical of school boards across the country over gender indoctrination, the board took the coward’s way out and failed to address the issue.

Supporters of the book say that coordinated protests from outsiders are becoming more common.

“They come in and rabble-rouse at school boards and undermine really what our local heroes are trying to do every day in the classroom,” said Marco Gonzales, a district parent.

There was no action item on this book, so no action was taken on Tuesday.

In September 2024, the First Liberty Institute and the National Center for Law & Policy filed a complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction on behalf of the Encinas family and one other family unit. According to First Liberty, after Carlos raised his concerns, employees of the school district and other parents in the school became hostile toward Carlos and his family. The president of the PTA even organized a “Pink Out The Hate Day,” where half the school wore pink in support of transgender rights. The Encinas family even received verbal threats and threatening phone calls, and Carlos was bullied to the point where his parents had to transfer him to a different school.

Apparently, the phrase “Hate has no home here” that the Woke love to spout doesn’t apply to people with Christian beliefs.