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Conroe ISD Level 3 Hearing on April 16th for Lily and Dunkin, a book still available to 7th graders.
"Would you rather have a dead son or a live daughter?"
The book, Lily and Dunkin, can be found at the Montgomery County Mitchell Library - West Woodlands, and the following Conroe ISD libraries: Irons Jr. High, Knox Jr. High, McCullough Jr. High, Moorhead Jr. High, Stockton Jr. High. After the first phase of reconsideration, the book was removed from Mitchell Intermediate and Veterans Memorial Intermediate. Lily and Dunkin is also available in the following Montgomery ISD libraries: Oak Hills Jr. High and Montgomery Jr. High.
One week from today, Tuesday April 16, Lily and Dunkin will be reviewed in a level 3 hearing before the board of trustees of Conroe ISD at the end of the school board meeting. Attend the meeting armed with information about what is in this book. I already read it for you, so you wouldn’t have to. If you would like to read it for yourself, you can find additional copies on Libby, the library app. Information about how to sign up for public comment can be found at the end of this article.
In the Montgomery County public libraries this book was in the children's section for years before I blew the whistle. Before I could challenge it, the book was quietly moved to the young adult section. As far as I know, this is the only book that was moved without a challenge. It is the most mature gender book I found, and you will see why.
Let’s see what’s in this book:
Lily’s given name is Tim, who is born a boy, but feels like a girl inside. Much of the book explores this transition. Tim’s transition is medical (puberty blockers) and social.
Dunkin’s given name is Norbert. He isn’t transitioning; he just doesn’t like his name because it’s Norbert. Dunkin’s father committed suicide before Dunkin moved to town, but the reader doesn’t learn this until later because Dunkin has not accepted that his father is gone yet and chooses to believe his father is in a psychiatric treatment center.
Here is how the story begins:
Tim ventures into the front yard dressed as a girl. He is practicing, “being myself.”
The book is written in 1st person, switching from Tim/Lily to Norbert/Dunkin. Dunkin is who walks by and waves back. The next quote is from his point of view.
Dunkin believes Tim is a girl. In fact, when he meets Tim later, he wonders where the pretty girl went and doesn’t connect the dots for a while. This feels like gaslighting.
Tim’s mother wants his dad to be on board before he starts puberty blockers. He listens in on their conversation in the following passage.
This is probably a good time to remind you that until the reconsideration committee met last month, this book was available to 5th graders. This book was likely available to 5th graders for years.
Later, Tim is reminiscing on how he explored his gender earlier in his life with cross dressing and recalls a sleepover with his best friend.
Don’t tell your parents… Now we are teaching CHILDREN that it’s okay to keep secrets, the worst kind of secrets, from their parents. THIS IS IN A LIBRARY BOOK!
Tim goes on in his thoughts,
“Even back then I knew it would be okay to tell Mom but not Dad.
But I didn't mention it to either of them. Just in case.”
Further instructions for the young reader.
Tim continues to discuss pronouns:
The first visit to the new doctor:
Meanwhile, Dunkin stops taking his psychiatric meds because they slow him down, and he wants to play on the school basketball team. Since he is not taking his meds, Dunkin, who suffers from bipolar disorder, begins having manic episodes.
Dunkin is not able to sit still, so he declines his mother’s ride home and runs, coming across Tim sitting in a tree. Dunkin climbs up in the tree with Tim who shares about his gender.
Dunkin continues to not take his meds. Eventually Dunkin begins seeing his father, who isn’t there, and has a significant episode on the basketball court during a game, when he is “Baker Acted.” (For those who aren’t familiar, in Florida, this is when a person is involuntarily placed in a psychiatric facility.) He is handcuffed by the police and hauled off to the institution. This is described in detail. Here are a few passages:
After his meds are regulated, Dunkin is allowed to go home just in time to attend the school dance, where Tim/Lily has transitioned, and is “beautiful.” Remember, since the beginning of the book Dunkin is taken by Tim when he is dressed as a girl, calling him the “most beautiful girl he had ever seen.” They have a romantic moment during a slow dance.
Tim’s father picks him up from the dance and they speak on the way home.
This is helpful information for emotional blackmail…
What might be some of the reasons why it was removed from 5th grade libraries:
Self-Harm - (You should know that this is not the only children’s book I have found that explores self-harm or mental illness.)
Significant Mental Illness -Dunkin/Norbert is handcuffed and taken to a psychiatric hospital in the middle of the school gym. Maybe that’s a lot for a 5th grader?
Suicide- Dunkin’s father also had bipolar disorder and killed himself. Dunkin is in denial for much of the book.
Alternate Gender Ideology - Well that can’t be why this book was removed because there are plenty of other AGI books still in elementary schools, not just intermediate schools.
Why should this book not be available to minors in ConroeISD?
Child Medical Transition - transitioning minors medically (hormone blockers, estrogen, testosterone, top surgery (removing healthy breasts), bottom surgery removing/reconstructing genitals) is illegal in Texas. An opinion issued by the Texas Attorney General states that this type of medical intervention is child abuse. Yet we have a book in the ConroeISD libraries describing medical transition as a wonderful and helpful option for gender dysphoria. (For more information about this, please read the book Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier. This book is in the public libraries.)
How YOU can help:
1. Attend the school board meeting wearing a RED shirt. If it is on your heart, please speak during public comment.
You can read from the book, cite studies, or speak from your heart. Please remember that not everyone in the room or the district follows Jesus. If you prefer not to speak, simply attending in a red shirt will make a quiet, encouraging impact. Of course, praying will have a profound impact. Know that the level 3 hearing will be at the end of the meeting, which could potentially run late. Attending for any amount of time is helpful, but if you are able to stay, this would be supportive and reassuring to the citizen bringing this book before the board.
Follow the link below to sign up for public comment or arrive between 5:30 and 6pm to sign up in person before the start of the meeting. The meeting will be at Deane L. Sadler Administration/Technology Center located at 3205 W. Davis Street, Conroe, Texas, 77304.
Board Meeting Information – Conroe ISD
2. Send the board members an email about your concerns.
Mr. Skeeter Hubert - shubert@conroeisd.net
Mrs. Theresa Wagaman - twagaman@conroeisd.net
Mrs. Stacey Chase - schase@conroeisd.net
Mr. Datren Williams - datwilliams@conroeisd.net
Mrs. Melissa Dungan - mdungan@conroeisd.net
Mrs. Tiffany Baumann Nelson - tbnelson@conroeisd.net
Mrs. Misty Odenweller - modenweller@conroeisd.net