Queer Lit and Seal of Diversity Under Attack

One of the many unique aspects of East is the vast diversity within its halls. Students, teachers, and staff come from immensely different backgrounds, yet all come together to create a vibrant community. To accommodate this diversity, East offers over 200 classes, including multiple options that  help students fulfill requirements to gain the Seal of Diversity. One of these classes, Queer Literature Honors, was first introduced in the 2022-23 school year. 

Queer literature was originally introduced to DPS in 2016 at Denver South; however, East followed suit under the leadership of Gregg Velasquez. Mr. Velasquez took on the class, developing a full year's worth of curriculum for the first time. Other DPS schools quickly followed, offering full year classes at Denver North and Denver South. 

Unfortunately, the class was later discontinued for the 2024-25 school year following intense scrutiny and setbacks from many individuals. “From the get go when I would advertise for it people were ripping down all the posters,” Mr. Velasquez explained. He also faced criticism for the curriculum he created, which included Brokeback Mountain as well as The Queer Bible, both of which were denounced by many. “Even from the choices like that, parents were calling in saying how dare he get to teach The Queer Bible when they don't even get to teach the regular Bible?” Mr. Velasquez added.

Despite the criticism, Mr. Velasquez hopes the class will make a return under new guidance. “I think queer literature should be taught at East, I just don’t think I'm the right person to teach it because of my feelings of my past experiences setting up the class,” he explained.

Mr. Velasquez encourages students to take Queer Lita:“You need perspective from all people, all different types. If you close yourself off to any group of people, you're closing yourself off to a future of getting to know really cool people, learning new things, and learning new cultures.”

However, many do not share the same views on Queer Lit or the Seal of Diversity. Led by Lori Gimelshteyn, The Colorado Parent Advocacy Program criticized both the program and the class, saying, “Our children deserve an education that prepares them for the real world, not one that pushes political agendas” (The Daily Signal). 

The Advocacy program also mentioned DPS, with Gimelshteyn stating “Denver Public Schools are failing children by focusing on diversity instead of improving low reading and math scores.” She later explained that “the Seal of Diversity program undermines the essential academic foundation our children need and fosters division, rather than unity.”

At the moment, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Program is seeking an investigation  into the content of the class and material used to grant students the Seal of Diversity. On their website, there is a petition directed at the Denver Board of Education, Superintendent Dr. Marrero, and East Principal Terita Walker, asking for the Seal of Diversity to be reviewed.

In spite of the criticism, the Seal of Diversity remains in place, with East offering various classes for students to fulfill its requirements. While Queer Lit may not be available to students now, it has the potential to make a return with the hopes of providing students a new perspective on the world around them.