'Grooming' Becomes Part Of Elmhurst School Debate

ELMHURST, IL – Across the nation, conservatives have become comfortable accusing their opponents of being "groomers."

In so doing, they are suggesting their political rivals are preparing to sexually abuse children.

Last week, Tom Chavez, leader of an Elmhurst parents group, used the word "grooming" in comments on Patch.

The idea of accusing opponents of being groomers appears to have come from QAnon, the conspiracy theorist group that accuses Democratic elites of advocating pedophilia.

In last week's comments, Chavez, who leads Elmhurst Parents for Integrity in Curriculum, was responding to criticism that he wanted to discriminate against LGBTQ children. He said that was not the case.

"Perhaps you can explain to folks following on this thread why you believe it's OK to introduce complex sexual and gender concepts to babies that haven't even learned their ABCs yet," Chavez told one commenter. "Some people call that 'grooming,' and many would find it not age-appropriate."

Taking such a position, he said, was not "anti-LGBTQ" or "anti-trans." He said his child's sexuality and gender ideas were his business, not that of an "activist" public school teacher.

In an email, Patch asked Chavez about QAnon and whether the "grooming" charge was being leveled too often these days.

About the conspiracy theorists, Chavez said, "QAnon? Really, In all honesty, I don't even know what that is."

As for grooming, he wrote to the reporter, "maybe explain why you believe it is OK to have activist teachers discuss gender and sexual orientation with children as young as 5-years old."

Florida has passed a law that prohibits teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues with students from kindergarten to third grade. Critics have dubbed it the "Don't Say Gay" law.

At Tuesday's school board meeting, Elmhurst resident Guido Nardini disputed notions that schools are sexually grooming children. He said Elmhurst School District 205 has no curriculum that "sexually grooms your second-grader."

"That's just stupid. Those are just culture war fairy tales," Nardini said during public comments. "Reading about gay people won't make your kids gay any more than reading 'Romeo and Juliet' will make your kids straight."