(Headline USA) A Florida school district cut ties with a local LGBT youth center after a report revealed the group was promoting an inappropriate, sexually explicit card game to children.
The Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network reportedly shared pictures of the adult card game, which featured pictures of penises and scrotums, on its Instagram page, inviting young adults ages 12-24 to come play “Dick Match.” The group deleted the pictures shortly afterward.
6) Pictures of the game included in JASMYN’s post reveal that most of the cards have a nickname alongside the drawing of a penis, scrotum or both – although one card shows a man’s anus with the text “HOLE-IN-ONE.” pic.twitter.com/adY4xmV6ML
— Zac Howard (@zachoward_) November 18, 2022
Duval County Public Schools has worked with JASMYN for the past several years, even giving the group a $180,000 grant as part of a Division of Adolescent Sexual Health program. The school district also named JASMYN as one of its resources in a LGBTQ+ Support Guide for students.
However, DCPS has since cut ties with the group, citing “apparent inappropriate conduct” as the reason, according to the Post Millennial.
“We have a responsibility to protect our school communities against the appearance of impropriety and apparent inappropriate conduct,” said DCPS Superintendent Diana Greene in an email to DCPS board members.
A DCPS spokesperson confirmed that it was concerned JASMYN was exposing students to inappropriate material.
“The district simply cannot partner with the organization given their use of the program materials that the district believes to be inappropriate for use with children,” the spokesperson said.
JASMYN CEO Cindy Watson said the group’s Instagram post was a “regrettable mistake” but defended its use of the card game.
“While it is regrettable that we posted something on social media in a way that could be so misunderstood, JASMYN has a long history in Northeast Florida of providing safe and affirming space for LGBTQ young people,” Watson said in a statement.
She went on to slam the school district’s decision to cut ties with JASMYN as “hasty” and an “overreaction to a far-right extremist website spreading inflammatory misinformation.”
JASMYN has promoted the inappropriate card game several times before, including once in June, when it invited children to participate in a “SaturGayz” event.
3) JASMYN deleted the post shortly after @theflstandard requested comment. Wednesday was not the first time JASMYN has posted the game on their Instagram, however. Here’s another post from June promoting “SaturGayz.” pic.twitter.com/GWNQv6lsYx
— Zac Howard (@zachoward_) November 18, 2022
