New Jersey board member faces blowback after decrying a poster about sexuality in an elementary school

Activists are calling for a New Jersey school board member to resign after she voiced opposition to a poster she said was inappropriate for schoolchildren, and criticized gender and sexual identity curriculum at large.

"Last night, I attended an elementary 'Math Night.' My 7 YO daughter, while reading posters at the school's main entrance, asked me what ‘polysexual’ means. To say the least, I was livid," Northern Burlington Board of Education member Angela Reading wrote in a Nov. 22 Facebook post.

The posters were reportedly part of an assignment to create a "safe space" for students.

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"Why are elementary schools promoting/allowing elementary KIDS to research topics of sexuality and create posters?" the post continued. "This is not in the state elementary standards (law) nor in the BOE-approved curriculum.

"It's perverse and should be illegal to expose my kids to sexual content. Look up the terms, and you will see they are sexual in nature."

The issue garnered attention on Twitter after the Libs of TikTok account shared a screenshot of Reading's post, along with images of LGBTQ+ friendly messages and drawings included in the post, tacking on a caption about "woke activists."

"Woke activists are calling on Angela Reading- Northern Burlington BOE member to resign after she expressed outrage that her 7-year-old was learning about gender & sexuality in school. I wish there was a word to describe someone who wants to teach children about these topics," the tweet read.

Further along in her initial post, Reading begged the question of why elementary students are being instructed on sexual attraction when they do not yet understand sex itself.

"How can my young children be accepting of people ‘who are sexually attracted to multiple genders’? They don't know what sex is! Are adults talking about their sexual life with my kids and looking for affirmation?" she added. 

Reading slammed the curriculum, saying she was "very confused and very angry" about why it exists. This led critics to push back with a Change.org petition calling for her resignation that touched on her alleged history of "questioning the inclusive and supportive environment created by local school programs and the sending districts of Northern Burlington, New Jersey."

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Reading's Facebook post was prefaced with a statement that distinguished Reading's role as a mother and private citizen from her position as a board member. 

"I felt like you need to bring awareness to the fact that there's things on the wall that's just not age appropriate for small kids," Reading told Fox News Digital. "As a mom I felt pretty powerless in my district and that's sad and problematic."

In another tweet, Libs of TikTok shared a Change.org petition founded in her support, encouraging others to sign in support of her cause.

"I write to correct the facts detailed in a recent petition titled ‘Northern Burlington BOE Member Angela Reading Must Resign.’ I find it only fitting that those so opposed to her language view her commentary in full, and not just what was alluded to in the original petition," the petition author NB 4 Free Speech wrote. 

The supportive petition included screenshots from Reading's original Facebook post.

"Kids should respect differences. Kids should show kindness to all. Kids should respect and understand there are various family structures," Reading wrote. "However, kids should not be forced to learn about and accept concepts of sexuality in elementary school." 

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The petition author, who Reading said was a friend of hers from law school, detailed Reading's initial post in its entirety.

"As you can see, she in no way calls for violence, reprimand, or criticism of the LGBTQAI+ community for its beliefs, actions, teachings, or core tenants. Instead, she notes with sorrow that she had to have a conversation with her child about polysexualism earlier than she would have liked to. She, for better or for worse, feels that topics of a sexual nature be kept inside health studies classrooms and not out in the general hallways where very young children who can read may view them," the author added. "Those claiming that this put a target on the school and students are gaslighting. We live in a world where parental concerns, exactly like this one, are shared on social media daily. Just because Ms. Reading sits on the Regional School Board, that does not take away her right to share and speak up about local school matters as a parent."

The petition supporting Reading had earned over 2,500 signatures as of Sunday.

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"I received so much hate, and so much harassment online, and it was devastating," Reading told Fox Digital. "Moms should be able to address their concerns with the school without worrying about this type of behavior."

Reading's post even prompted a response from the U.S. military. Lt. Col. Christopher Schilling of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst flagged the mom to local police for exhibiting what he described as "safety concerns."

"What these people did to my family just because I voiced a concern, that's not how our country should function," she continued. "But if parents who speak are defamed and attacked and bullied by U.S. military, by the police, but rogue community members, how are we ever going to improve schools?"

Fox News Digital's Cortney O'Brien contributed to this report.