A Pride-parade picture book showing bondage gear and drag nuns is set to appear in Lexington’s 2025–2026 kindergarten social studies curriculum, sparking fury among parents who say the district has crossed the line between inclusion and age-appropriate teaching.
The revelation was first reported by Massachusetts Informed Parents, a watchdog group that obtained lesson materials from Lexington Public Schools (LPS). According to their review, the Pride-themed book This Day in June is listed as part of a new “Social Studies” unit for five-year-olds — a class typically reserved for topics like community, geography, and basic civics.
But the book’s illustrations show men in leather harnesses, bondage gear, and members of the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” drag troupe, imagery that critics say has no place in an elementary classroom. Supporters of the curriculum say the materials are meant to promote diversity and understanding.
The new program is overseen by Aisha Banda, LPS’s K–5 Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator, who has championed “disrupting traditional narratives” in district teaching frameworks. Under her watch, the district’s new lessons are aligned with Learning for Justice’s “Social Justice Standards,” which encourage teachers to discuss identity, family structures, and belonging — even in kindergarten.
Hellbound and Down 