Dupage Policy Journal

Naperville third grade teacher Nick Cosme paints his nails like a woman does— and is teaching eight-year-old boys in his Elmwood School class how to do the same.

Sources tell DuPage Policy Journal that Cosme, 25, asked his new students to announce their “pronouns,” suggesting the boys in his class might ask him to refer to them as “she” not “he.”

Cosme also read to the class a book about a boy who “likes princesses, fairies and things "not for boys.”

In "My Shadow Is Pink," a young boy who likes to wear dresses inspires his father to also wear a dress.

In one passage, the book shows a burly father with a mustache wearing a dress with his hand around his son’s collar consoling him over his reluctance to wear a dress to school.

“So put on that dress, and get back to school. If someone won’t like you then they are the fool,” the passage reads.

A parent complained to the Naperville 203 school district about Cosme's behavior, sources tell DuPage Policy Journal. But the school says it supports including lessons on cross-dressing and so-called "trans-sexuality," or when a man pretends to be a woman, in its third grade curriculum.

"Naperville 203 and Elmwood Elementary have been made aware of parent concern regarding a book read to a third-grade class," District 203 spokesman Alexander Mayster told DuPage Policy Journal.  "After listening to the concerns, our administrative team worked to fully understand the situation and found that the purpose of the lesson was to promote inclusiveness and student belonging. The reading of the book, and the themes within the book, align to Naperville 203’s efforts to cultivate a culture of inclusion that values the dignity and uniqueness of each individual."

Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, said behavior like Cosme's is unacceptable in a school setting.

“The only people who should be allowed to talk to kids about sex and gender are parents. Any teachers caught trying to groom children on these topics should be fired for cause and never allowed to teach again,” Schilling said. 

Schilling said Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose family is a leading funder of so-called "synthetic sex identities" and for allowing children to have sex change surgery, is ultimately to blame.

“To make matters worse, Gov. Pritzker and his regime is pulling the rug out from parents and empowering these sick agenda-driven teachers. Pritzker needs to go," Schilling said.

The teacher, Cosme, has tweeted about his kindergarten classes in the past.

“I believe the greatest tool students have is themselves. I teach my students to not to be afraid to show the world who they truly are,” Cosme’s Twitter account reads.

The issue of such behavior on behalf of teachers is a matter of hot debate.

Earlier this year a local GOP activist slammed House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) for criticizing legislation in Florida limiting discussions of a sexual nature - including those bout trans issues - to more mature students.

The Florida bill banned discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms Kindergarten thru 3rd grade.

Florida’s bill took effect July 1. Meanwhile, in Illinois, SB818 had led to mandates for children as young as the second grade to understand gender identity.