Is gender identity being taught in kindergarden?
Executive summary
State and local curricula and lesson plans show gender identity has been included in some kindergarten classrooms in the U.S., but policies and practice vary widely: Seattle Public Schools has published K–5 gender lessons [1], Maryland’s old health framework included kindergarten learning goals on recognizing a range of gender identities and later prompted a rollback proposal moving such instruction to grade 5 [2] [3]. National advocacy groups and lesson-plan sets (e.g., Welcoming Schools) provide K–2 materials for discussing gender identity in early grades [4].
1. What “being taught” looks like in practice: classroom lessons and book kits
Some school districts and curricula present gender identity material in age‑appropriate formats for young children: Seattle Public Schools posts a K–5 Gender Book Kit with videos and books used in kindergarten lessons that align with state health standards on self‑identity [1]. Nonprofit programs and teaching resources encourage picture‑book reads and activities — for example Welcoming Schools offers K–2 lessons and story‑based activities such as “Red: A Crayon’s Story” to help children learn basic differences between gender identity and expression [4]. Those materials emphasize simple concepts (respect, diversity, stereotypes) and use children’s books as the primary vehicle [1] [4].
2. State frameworks and revisions: the Maryland case as a recent example
Maryland’s health education framework previously asked kindergartners to “recognize a range of ways people identify and express their gender,” which prompted public debate and reporting about gender‑identity instruction in early grades [2]. Facing pushback, the Maryland State Department of Education proposed moving explicit lessons on gender identities from kindergarten to fifth grade and replacing early‑grade language with broader “dignity and respect” goals [3] [5]. Reports say the revised framework would retain gender‑identity lessons at middle and high school levels while making early grades focus on kindness and anti‑bullying [3].
3. Variability across jurisdictions and timeframes
Curricula differ by district and state. Some states’ guidelines (e.g., California historically) recommended dispelling gender stereotypes in kindergarten and noted some young children already express gender identity [6] [7]. Other localities have explicit K–2 lesson sets; still others delay identity topics until later grades. Washington state standards and older local media coverage show that debates about what is developmentally appropriate have been ongoing for years [8] [6]. The result is a patchwork: in some classrooms young children see gender‑inclusive books and simple lessons; in others such content is absent or postponed [1] [3].
4. Who produces content and how parents factor in
Materials come from school districts, state education frameworks, and outside groups. States sometimes commission curricular resources (reporting shows Maryland paid for a 3Rs sex‑ed curriculum that contained kindergarten lessons on gender identity and advised gender‑neutral language) and nonprofit programs offer ready‑made lessons [9] [4]. Parent notification and opt‑out rules vary; reporting about Montgomery County and Maryland notes legal and policy disputes over parental notification, library access, and opt‑out rights in K–5 contexts [2] [10].
5. The arguments on both sides and the legal backdrop
Supporters argue early lessons reduce bullying and reflect children’s lived experiences — guidance from some education departments recommends addressing stereotypes early to foster inclusiveness [6] [4]. Critics say identity topics are not developmentally appropriate for kindergarten and press for moving instruction to older grades; that pressure contributed to Maryland’s proposed rollback to fifth grade [3] [11]. Legal tensions surface too: federal and state guidance, lawsuits, and decisions (for example Mahmoud v. Taylor and subsequent state laws) play into what districts can assign or remove and how library and classroom materials are handled [10].
6. What the sources do and do not say — limitations and open questions
Available sources document examples (Seattle’s K–5 kit, Welcoming Schools lessons, Maryland’s framework and revision) but do not provide a comprehensive national tally of where kindergarteners are taught gender identity nationwide; national prevalence numbers are not in these reports [1] [4] [3]. The sources recount policy changes, recommended age ranges, specific lesson examples and political responses, but they do not say how frequently individual teachers use these optional resources in every district [9] [3].
7. Bottom line for parents and observers
If you want to know whether gender identity is being taught in a specific kindergarten classroom, check the local district’s curriculum materials and policies: some districts post K–5 lesson kits and book lists [1], some states or districts have optional lesson sets or frameworks [4] [9], and some states or systems (as in Maryland recently) have moved or proposed moving explicit identity lessons to later grades after public pushback [3] [5]. Available sources do not mention a single, uniform national policy; practice depends on district and state choices [3] [1].