LEXINGTON, MA — 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.

MIP’s investigation also found that the district rejected an opt-out request from a Christian father who objected to the lessons on religious grounds. According to the group, the district delayed responding to his emails and later confirmed that his child had already been taught one of the disputed lessons.

That parent is now represented by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center, which sent a formal demand letter to LPS accusing the district of violating parental rights under the Supreme Court’s recent Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling. The decision affirmed that families can withdraw students from lessons conflicting with their faith.

Lexington Public Schools has not responded to questions about the use of This Day in June or how the book fits within the district’s definition of social studies education.”