When a system is broken, create a new one. That’s exactly what Kirk Cameron is doing by launching his new book company, SkyTree Book Fairs.
Kirk Cameron, actor, evangelist, and television host, is most known for his roles in the ABC sitcom Growing Pains. However, he has become an outspoken Christian activist who believes in homeschooling and exposing the corrupt public education system. He is one of the few conservative-Christian actors who openly opposes homosexuality and abortion.
As of late, he is calling out Scholastic for their “hidden, sexually explicit content targeted for kids.” And thank goodness, because the content in some of these books is nothing short of pornography. Aren’t there laws about child pornography? Do they not apply to book publishers for kids? If promoting literacy includes exposing our children to sexual material at early ages, increasing their chances of impressionability and premature promiscuous behavior, then reading is dead. Kirk compares Scholastic’s literacy promotion to a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” He is not wrong. Subject matter including self-injury and scars, underage drinking, teachers giving advice on how to search the internet for sex change, and more illicit, morally devoid content is being published by Scholastic.
Scholastic has published books, now on sale at book fairs worldwide, with content ranging from self-harm to medical gender transitions for school-aged children and teens. In a graphic novel geared for 14-year-olds, “Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure” by Lewis Hancox, the author tells of real-life experiences as a transgender individual through puberty and gender transitioning. The book includes an LGBT sex scene that involves unhooking a bra and implied sexual masturbation under sheets. This is a graphic novel; there are pictures here, folks.
For grades 3-7, Scholastic Books sells “Melissa,” a book about transgenderism. It used to be called “George.” On page 44, the character explains her sexual turmoil in an explicit bathtub scene: “She immersed her body in the warm water and tried not to think about what was between her legs, but there it was, bobbing in front of her.” A boy’s genitalia, not a bar of soap or a rubber ducky.
Unfortunately, these books aren’t just accidentally showing up on the shelves of book fairs worldwide; they are intentionally placed. The aforementioned book was praised by the former Scholastic CEO as a triumph in Scholastic’s mission. But Scholastic’s Creed, according to the Scholastic Credo and Editorial Platform, says they believe in the “right of each individual to live in a wholesome environment, and equally, the personal responsibility of each individual to help gain and preserve a decent and healthful environment, beginning with informed care of one’s own body and mind.” Continuing, they express belief in “High Moral and Spiritual Values.” This seems contrary to the explicit language, overtly sexual content, and graphic images of genitalia found in some of its children’s books. Especially when the definition of “wholesome” and “decent” is “good for one’s health and well-being: such as promoting mental or moral health or well-being, marked by moral integrity, kindness, and goodwill, standards of propriety, good taste, and modesty.”
For the last 100 years, Scholastic has been publishing books, comics, and educational materials in classrooms worldwide. Everyone has heard of them and sees the BIG Red Clifford dog in their head when mentioned. They are the “gorilla” of children’s book publishing companies. Today, Scholastic is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books in print and digital educational materials for pre-K to grade 12. In the United States alone, half of Scholastic’s revenue was earned in school book clubs and fairs, totaling around 553 million dollars.
Kirk plans to turn that monopoly into a monkey. SkyTree is already holding book fairs in over 600 schools nationwide. Their website is user-friendly, transparent, and makes fundraising convenient. In opposition to Scholastic and significantly more vital, they uphold their Creed, “Celebrate reading with wholesome book fairs that let kids be kids.” They pursue truth and promote parents’ advocacy for their children’s education by being easily informed. Their website has a downloadable PDF with instructions on how to bring these book fairs to your schools. Every parent should print this PDF and demand their school dump the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and adopt the wholesome underdog.
Brittany Stewart, an accomplished writer and educator, draws inspiration from her 23-year marriage and upbringing near Lake Tahoe in Verdi, Nevada, now residing in Tucson, Arizona. With her Bachelor’s degree in Education, emphasizing Native American Literature and Journalism, Brittany is a multifaceted professional who is also a Licensed Massage Therapist. She is deeply involved in Tucson’s homeschooling community, leading a homeschool group, teaching dance, and offering art classes. She and her family have a homestead in Southern Arizona, where her husband hunts and she tends to the garden, emphasizing the importance of God and family in her life while continually seeking adventure through her travels.