The leadership at one BASIS Charter School allegedly told families they were required to honor one of their coach’s new transgender identity.
Community members shared an email they claimed to have obtained a copy of from Basis Chandler Primary North, an elementary school, which advised parents to have themselves and their children abide by nondiscrimination policies in relation to the physical education coach, Michael Jahrman — now “Lily” Jahrman.
The email allegedly told parents that they should tell their children not to question Jahrman’s gender or gender identity.
“Coach Jahrman has recently undergone a personal transition and will now be known as Lily Jahrman. Students may continue to use ‘Coach’ when addressing this staff member,” stated the email. “BASIS follows all nondiscrimination policies, including those related to gender, and remains committed to providing a respectful and supportive environment for every student and employee. Please take a moment to let your child know that Coach’s appearance has changed so that PE classes can continue smoothly without unnecessary questions. Coach’s focus remains on teaching and supporting students in PE.”
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Families received a letter stating the male coach has transitioned to female & students should refer to him as her or "Coach"?
School policy provides further context for the implications of this email. The policy indicates that an elementary school student who misgenders or deadnames Jahrman would be subject to discipline. “Deadnaming” refers to calling an individual by their given name that preceded their gender transition.
BASIS Charter Schools’ code of conduct clarifies it maintains “a zero tolerance policy toward any language or behavior that intimidates, belittles or causes physical or emotional injury to others.” This zero tolerance policy allows each school to have discretion over the disciplinary consequence(s) administered.
The code of conduct also prohibits an undefined, non-comprehensive list of “certain behaviors,” including “derogatory statements” referencing any individual’s “sexuality [or] gender expression.”
Further on, the code of conduct clarifies that nondiscrimination policy expands to “actual or perceived classification protected by law.” Associated training materials clarify that the Title IX sex discrimination prohibition extends to gender identity and expression.
“Students must observe the school’s policies pertaining to behavior, respect, and anti-harassment/non-discrimination in all interactions with peers and school staff,” states the code of conduct. “Students may not engage in speech that is threatening, vulgar, or harassing.”
Court records revealed that Jahrman filed an application for change of name of an adult back in mid-September before the Maricopa County Superior Court. A judge signed the order several days before Thanksgiving.
Jahrman’s social media activity shows that he has frequently interacted with Occupy Democrats.
In one post by Occupy Democrats comparing President Donald Trump to a dictator in 2020, Jahrman expressed disappointment with the federal government.
“None of this would be happening, the corruption, incompetence, manipulation, or destruction if Trump were not elected. The day he was elected was the day this was all put into action,” said Jahrman. “I hope people have learned what they did and never make this mistake again.”
In a post by OK! Magazine covering Vice President J.D. Vance’s post-COVID-19 vaccine illness in February, Jahrman said Vance couldn’t have been sick because he doesn’t possess a heart.
“Lie, he doesn’t have a heart,” commented Jahrman.
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As enrollment dips and two schools are considered for repurposing, Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is promoting a biking event for “girls, nonbinary youth, and gender-expansive” children in family-facing communications.
In an October 9th post to X, parental rights organization Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity (SUEI) wrote: “Parents confirmed @ScottsdaleUSD is using their district-wide communication system to promote an event for ‘nonbinary youth’ and ‘gender expansive’ children. Girls in Gear (and apparently boys, too) claims that these lessons are Social Emotional Learning. Email: GovBRD@SUSD.org.”
🚨SUSD is planning a "girls" event for "nonbinary youth" and "gender expansive" children.
— Scottsdale Unites for Educational Integrity (@ScottsdaleUnite) October 9, 2025
The “Girls in Gear” program, which focuses on cycling skills and social-emotional learning, includes participants who identify outside traditional gender norms, according to a district email sent to families. A post on X by SUEI shared the event flyer, which lists the inclusive criteria.
According to the Girls in Gear website, the event “is open to any rider who identifies as a girl. If a rider identifies as a girl, then the rider is welcome to participate in Girls in Gear.”
In a reply to the SUEI post, Arizona Women of Action drew attention to the contradiction that SUSD is continuing to focus on gender ideology despite reduced enrollment, school closures under discussion, and at-risk federal funding.
Arizona Women of Action wrote in its reply:
“1. Identifying as a gender that is not innate (boy or girl) is often the first step of the ‘trans’ path. By Scottsdale Unified recognizing these identities (non-binary, gender expansive) the district can contribute to a child’s ‘trans’ path. Change in pronouns and presentation are next, irreversible puberty blockers and hormones follow.
2. This is no longer a girls’ event if non binary or gender expansive youth can participate.
3. SUSD is closing schools. This kind of choice could be a contributing factor to low enrollment.
4. Isn’t there an EO about this? Yes. And schools can lose federal funding.”
The organization also called up on followers to call “the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at 1-800-421-3481 to report non-compliance.”
1. Identifying as a gender that is not innate (boy or girl) is often the first step of the "trans" path. By Scottsdale Unified recognizing these identities (non-binary, gender expansive) the district can contribute to a child's "trans" path. Change in pronouns and presentation… pic.twitter.com/iL7yUKiRPR
District reporting in February revealed that under SUSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel, enrollment has consistently dropped. As of February 2025, enrollment stood at 19,367, a decrease of 390 students from 2024, down 355 from the previous year. Over the past seven years, enrollment has dropped precipitously by 13%, from 22,608.
In response to the enrollment trends, the SUSD governing board voted 3-2 on October 7th to advance a proposal to repurpose Echo Canyon K-8 School and Pima Elementary School for the 2026-27 school year, according to AZ Family. Menzel addressed the looming closures with families in a September message and cited under-enrollment at both schools.
The promotion of the program also comes amid federal policies addressing gender-related content in schools. President Trump’s Executive Order 14190, issued January 29, 2025, directs the withholding of federal funds from K-12 programs that promote gender ideology or other specified materials, and reestablishes the 1776 Commission for patriotic education. Additionally, a Department of Health and Human Services directive on August 26, 2025, requires states to certify that sex education programs do not reference transgender youth or gender ideology to receive funding, affecting 46 states and territories, including Arizona. Several Democratic-led states have filed lawsuits challenging the directive. Despite pending legal action, the Executive Order and HHS Directive both remain in effect at present.
SUSD has previously addressed transgender-related policies, including student transition plans and LGBTQ curriculum, and run afoul of the Arizona Department of Education and parents alike. In prior incidents, the district faced questions over notifications to parents and the use of school spaces for related activities, such as a “sexuality-safe-space” at Mohave Middle School, as reported by the Arizona Daily Independent.
Last month, a BrainPOP lesson on LGBTQ topics prompted review under state DEI restrictions, with Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne citing potential violations.
Other community responses in the thread include comments from users expressing concern over the event’s inclusivity and district priorities.
Parents confirmed @ScottsdaleUSD is using their district-wide communication system to promote an event for "nonbinary youth" and "gender expansive" children. Girls in Gear (and apparently boys, too) claims that these lessons are Social Emotional Learning.
Congressman Hamadeh announced he is directing a group of House Republicans to demand that Fiscal Year 2026 spending bills include explicit language prohibiting federal funding for transgender experiments on animals.
“When Americans send their hard-earned money to Washington, they expect it to be used wisely to secure our borders, to defend our nation, and to provide essential services that protect our citizens. What they do not expect is for their tax dollars to bankroll the latest ideological fads of the radical left,” said Hamadeh.
“No one should be forced to subsidize radical gender ideology, let alone grotesque experiments that inflict suffering on animals in the name of ‘gender transition science.’ This is not medical research; it’s political theater disguised as science,” he added.
The initiative addresses growing concerns over federal funding being used to support immoral and unnecessary experiments involving animals such as monkeys, mice, and rabbits.
These experiments reportedly involve mutilating animals and administering cross-sex hormones to advance theories aligned with radical gender ideology.
“What possible scientific benefit can come from mutilating a rabbit or drugging a monkey with cross-sex hormones? None,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “These experiments are not about medical advancement; they are about normalizing the transgender agenda.”
Hamadeh’s call to action highlights a broader issue: the capture of America’s research institutions by ideology. Agencies like the National Institute of Health (NIH) have diverted taxpayer dollars to projects that prioritize cultural agendas over scientific integrity.
The Congressman pointed to the Biden administration’s aggressive promotion of gender ideology across education, healthcare, and federal research as a driving force behind these experiments. “Billions of taxpayer dollars have been funneled into projects that redefine biology, undermine parental rights, and confuse children,” he said.
The push to defund these experiments is framed as part of a larger fight to protect American values and restore common sense to government spending.
Hamadeh concluded with a message to all members of Congress, saying, “The American people deserve better. Our children deserve better. And the animals who have no voice at all deserve better. That’s why I will keep leading this charge, because the line must be drawn here, and it must be drawn now. This isn’t politics – it’s common sense.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
After publishing this Substack, I came across this video of a young woman’s “detransition” story. I also learned that Texas Christian University canceled an event featuring Chloe Cole, another “detransitioner” who travels the nation sharing her testimony. The fight to protect the next generation from the evils of “transgenderism” is far from over.
This quote is from the young woman who lived as a “male” for eight years but now regrets having a double mastectomy, full hysterectomy, and genital reconstruction surgery:
“I’m so angry…and so sad. It’s like a virus, or something, that infected me. And it happened so quickly…I can’t have kids. I’ll never lose my virginity. It’s like I’m left to just accept the scraps of the life that I could have had…I don’t know how to be okay with that. I hate when people [say], ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ No, this didn’t happen for a reason. It’s just a tragedy. Call it what it is.”
In the video, you can see what appears to be mutilation scars on her left forearm. Skin grafts are typically taken from this area to construct “a penis, urethra, scrotum, and the obliteration of the vaginal cavity with closure,” an operation known as phalloplasty (or “bottom surgery”). While it is possible to correct genital deformities, the damage to her body is irreversible, and the trajectory of her future is permanently altered. She can recover some femininity, but her womanhood is gone forever.
This is the expected end of social “transitioning,” cross-dressing, and using alternative names and pronouns—all of which can be concealed by false interpretations of student privacy laws. Also, when K-12 district representatives and employees implement DEI policies, host rainbow celebrations, and defend “gender identity,” they are advocating for all of the above. No one is born in the wrong body, and anyone who supports sterilizing and castrating minors should not be trusted around children.
I always bring the “transgender” agenda back to government education because it’s an area where many parents are still asleep at the wheel. Public schools (and increasingly some private schools) are the battlefield as board members, administrators, teachers, and counselors position themselves as the enemy of parental rights. Thankfully, parents are winning in the courts, and thousands of children will never undergo “transgender” medical malpractice. Still, parents must remain vigilant in the ongoing war to assert moral authority over their children.
It’s also important to bring attention to another group that’s not doing enough to tackle the “transgender” problem. Sadly, many Christians are aiding and abetting the spread of LGBTQ ideologies and practices. Keep in mind that “Christian” is a relative term associated with thousands of denominations and cults, and can be interpreted to mean a “good person.”
On February 25, 2025, Pew Research published survey results showing that “57% [up from 54% in 2014] of U.S. Christians say homosexuality should be accepted by society; 55% [up from 44% in 2014] say same-sex marriage should be legal.” The report also reveals 29% of Christians believe greater acceptance of “transgender” individuals is “a change for the better.” The latter is a baseline number, as researchers did not ask this question in previous case studies.
Oddly enough, Barna’s 2025 study shows Millennials and Gen Z have increased their church attendance. The report says, “The typical Gen Z churchgoer now attends 1.9 weekends per month, while Millennial churchgoers average 1.8 times—a steady upward shift since the lows seen during the pandemic. These are easily the highest rates of church attendance among young Christians since they first hit Barna’s tracking.”
Before we celebrate, let’s consider that in 2004, 51% of American pastors held a biblical worldview. By 2022, just 37% of pastors had sustained a biblical worldview, while 62% held syncretistic beliefs (that is, blending Christianity with other religions). In 2023, only 36% of pastors were “very effective” in helping Christians grow their faith over time. A mere 10% were “very effective” in “growing new converts into mature Christians,” while 12% encouraged believers to share their faith, and a measly 6% reached out to non-Christians.
These are sobering statistics, and, according to Barna, the increase among Gen Z still equates to attending church “less than half the time” of older generations. So, while young people are seeking truth, many will join ministries led by compromised leaders. Gen Z’s faith might grow over time, but they won’t share it outside the church, and what they learn may not have a lasting effect. In short, the American Church produces converts without conviction and consumers without consecration, who master religious transactions without transformation.
My fellow believers, none of this is a sign of “revival.”
I have lost count of how many times we canceled Netflix, rebooked Disney vacations, and chose Walmart over Target. Jumping on a trend is not good enough. We can’t be so preoccupied with our regularly scheduled programming that we fail to address the spirit of the age that’s consuming present generations.
Are we too holy to associate with LGBTQ people because their sin looks different than ours? Are we so loving that we can’t confront sin at all? Have we settled for inviting the lost to hear watered-down preaching because we’re too biblically illiterate to usher them into the Kingdom directly? If we’re honest, most Christians wouldn’t know how to minister to that broken woman in the video. We would say, “Jesus loves you,” and hand her a flyer for the next church event.
I agreed when the woman said destroying her body didn’t happen for a reason, and she called it a tragedy. The expression, “Everything happens for a reason,” is typically what believers (and nonbelievers) say when they lack the capacity to produce genuine empathy. It’s on par with “God works in mysterious ways,” a favorite among those who cannot discern the difference between coincidence and divine appointment. Neither of these phrases is found in Scripture.
The truth is, everything does not happen for a reason. Some things—and I would argue, living in a fallen world, that most things—happen as a consequence. Our beliefs influence our actions, and actions dictate outcomes. We can only help the next generation by imitating the Berean Christians (Acts 17:11), speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and investing time in young people beyond religious activities. Some sinners will never darken the doorway of your church, but they shouldn’t have to wait until Sunday to hear the gospel.
I challenge Christians to befriend an LGBTQ person, learn their story, and, when their heart is ready, preach the full gospel to them. Don’t stop at “Jesus loves you” and a church invitation. Tell them why He was crucified. Explain that He is not only our Friend—He is also our Judge. He extends mercy to those who repent and wrath to those who reject Him. Jesus came as a lamb, but He will return as a lion. Faith in His work on the cross is the only way to life, both now and for eternity.
Never separate love from truth.
Tiffany Benson is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education. Her commentaries on education, politics, and Christian faith can be viewed at Parentspayattention.com and Bigviewsmallwindow.com. Follow her on socials @realtiffanyb.
The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk is not only the loss of a cultural leader, but also a chilling reminder of what happens when we confuse speech with violence. Kirk was a tireless champion of free expression, and his death underscores the urgent need to examine how the suppression of dialogue can set the stage for real violence.
In his own words, Kirk once warned: “When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts… when you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group. What we as a culture have to get back to is being able to have reasonable disagreement where violence is not an option.” His words now read as both a prophecy and a plea for the culture of dialogue we so desperately need.
Suppressing Speech Is Not The Answer
Psychology teaches us that suppressing thoughts doesn’t eliminate them — it simply pushes them underground. Clinicians see this dynamic in individuals who repress emotions until they reemerge as passive aggression or even have destructive outbursts. The same pattern plays out in society: When people are told their perspectives are unspeakable, frustration grows, mistrust deepens, and the risk of acting out increases. Ironically, attempts to enforce “safe spaces” by silencing dissent often make communities more volatile. True safety comes from open dialogue, where conflict can be addressed directly rather than festering in silence.
The Danger Of “Social Justice Warrior” Rhetoric
When individuals adopt the mindset of “social justice warriors,” the very word “war” can take on a literal dimension. Combined with rhetoric that labels opponents as “Nazis,” “fascists,” or even as “threats to existence” for questioning prevailing ideologies, we create a psychological framework where violence feels like moral self-defense. Social psychologists call this groupthink — a process in which consensus becomes so rigid that dissenters can be irrationally cast as evil. Ingredients of groupthink include a belief in the moral superiority of the group, direct pressure on dissenters, strong outgroup stereotypes, and collective rationalization — all of which were present here. In such an atmosphere, attacking a speaker can feel like a righteous duty. Tragically, Kirk’s willingness to question aspects of trans ideology and other sacred cows of certain political groups placed him squarely in the crosshairs of this warped moral reasoning.
Words Are Not Violence
Words can sting, but they are not the same as physical harm. Equating speech with violence not only inflates anxiety but also undermines resilience. It conditions people to believe that discomfort is intolerable and that retaliation — even violent retaliation—is justified. By contrast, protecting free speech fosters self-efficacy — the belief in one’s ability to navigate challenges constructively. It strengthens authentic connection, reduces the loneliness that comes from self-censorship, and creates opportunities for genuine problem-solving.
Charlie Kirk’s assassination must be seen for what it is: a catastrophic failure to uphold the principle that dialogue is the antidote to violence, not its cause. As Kirk himself urged, the future of our culture depends on whether we can “have reasonable disagreement where violence is not an option.”
To honor his legacy, we must recommit to that vision — resisting the falsehood that words are violence — and embracing the truth that dialogue, even when difficult, is the path to peace. This is the very theme I explore in my book Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly, which offers psychological tools for protecting free speech and building the resilience that open dialogue requires. The book includes examples such as Andy Ngo and Riley Gaines, who have suffered violence for their speech — and tragically, Charlie Kirk is now added to that list in the worst possible way. I urge you to channel your grief into action — do not be silenced but use your voice and stand together. It’s exactly what Charlie would have wanted.
Dr. Chloe Carmichael is contributor to the Daily Caller News Foundation, a clinical psychologist, USA Today bestselling author of “Nervous Energy,” and a visiting fellow at Independent Women. Her upcoming book “Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly” (Skyhorse, Nov. 2025) explores the mental health benefits of open dialogue and the costs of self-censorship.
