Last week, we told you about Diva D, the ruffly-bottomed drag queen who made national news by doing cartwheels on a table and exposing his underwear to minor students at Sutton High School. The drag queen’s performance was part of the Connections Conference (or ConCon) hosted at the high school last month. If you haven’t read the first part of our investigation yet, click here. 

People nationwide were shocked to see a drag queen dancing on a table in a public school library, but people in MA were especially shocked that it had happened in Sutton. How did a public school in a quiet, conservative (by MA standards) town become home to a massive social justice-themed student conference featuring a drag queen? 

The short answer to that question involves one very motivated activist principal, an equally motivated activist World Language Department Chair, and a small cadre of eager staff members who worked together to turn students into social justice warriors. They indoctrinated the students into their activist ideology through a school-sponsored club, and then used the club—and their indoctrinated students—to launch the conference. 

The conference, organized annually beginning in 2019, featured highly politicized speakers, controversial themes, one-sided discussions of leftist viewpoints, and frequent discussions of sexuality and gender-related issues. And to make matters worse, 2024 was not the first year that drag as diverse sexual expression was discussed.  

While some conservative parents and community members had expressed concern about the wildly inappropriate conference previously, ConCon mostly flew under the radar. In reality, ConCon was problematic from the start, but most people in Sutton, and throughout MA, remained unaware until those pink-skirted photos of Diva D surfaced online a few weeks ago.

Needless to say, the Sutton High School principal received severe criticism for the utter lack of judgment in allowing an adult sexual performer to dance on top of tables with students seated below. In an email to parents attempting to address the public outrage, the principal appallingly justified the debauched spectacle by saying that kids have access to more inappropriate content on their phones. 

If you are a public school parent or know someone who is, we encourage you to visit the Massachusetts Informed Parents (MIP) Substack site today to read the full investigation.

If you are a Sutton resident, explore MIP’s report to uncover what’s happening in your taxpayer-funded school district. 

Even if you’re not from Sutton, you’ll want to understand the facts surrounding this objectionable conference so you can prevent a similar situation where you live.

Sutton is a cautionary tale. If the ConCon can con its way into a more conservative town like Sutton, it can happen in your town too. Far too often, good people accept bad ideas because the people presenting those ideas use innocent-sounding language. But bad ideas, even when they sound sweet, ultimately produce rotten fruit. 

What happened in Sutton exemplifies why it’s crucial to understand what social justice really entails and why appealing terms often carry hidden meanings. Parents and concerned citizens are encouraged to do the following to help safeguard children in public schools:

• Educate themselves about Queer Theory, its integration into the K-12 educational system, and its impact on children.
• Resist DEI initiatives in their municipality or school district.
• Approach Social Emotional Learning with skepticism.
• Recognize that when activists use “kindness,” they mean “acceptance,” and “acceptance” translates to “celebration.”
• Understand that phrases like “hate has no home here” are often used to label mere disagreement, conservative values, or religious beliefs as “hate.”
• Speak up now rather than waiting until it’s too late.

The ideas that birthed the ConCon are not unique to Sutton. They are embroidered into state and national education policies. They are taught in teacher’s colleges and integrated into the curriculum. They are supported by education NGOs, accrediting organizations, and teachers’ unions. In short, when it comes to public education, they are everywhere.

The Sutton story will be the last straw for some MA parents. They will decide that it’s time to remove their kids from public school. For other MA parents who aren’t ready or able to make that decision, Sutton serves as a stark reminder that they need to be proactive in safeguarding their children.

MFI is here to help parents, no matter which path they choose. 

Parents, here are a few things you can do:

• Know what events are on the school district’s calendar. Does your district host any events like ConCon? Are there other events that violate your family’s beliefs that your child might feel pressured to attend? Find out so you can protect your child.
• Opt your child out of sex ed per MA law. Find our opt-out letter here.
• Use our sample accommodation letter to request your child does not participate in school-sponsored LGBTQ content. Find our accommodation letter here. 
• Did your school refuse your opt-out request? Contact MFI at [email protected]. 
• Get involved! Run for school committee or learn how to engage your city leaders as an advocate. Attend one of MFI’s Advocate Leadership Training or Candidate Campaign Training sessions. For more information, click here.

For parents who have decided to exit government schools, explore school options on our Education Alternatives page, where you will find helpful links to information on homeschooling, learning centers, and private Christian schools.

Finally, whether you are a parent still raising and educating your children or just a concerned citizen who wants to stay informed about issues affecting MA students, join the Massachusetts Informed Parents Facebook group. 

Also, be sure to subscribe to the Massachusetts Informed Parents Substack site. Subscribers receive new articles, including in-depth investigations like the one about Sutton, delivered directly to their inbox first.

Help MFI continue to support parents in the fight to protect their children with a generous donation today. 

For our families, 

Jess Richardson

MFI Communications and Research Assistant