Conservative reactions on social media have been intense following a video of Michigan’s Chief Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Sue Carnell, grappling with a question from Republican lawmaker Jay DeBoyer about the number of genders. This clip gained traction after being shared by the conservative account LibsofTikTok, accumulating over 2 million views.
During a hearing on October 28, DeBoyer directly asked, “How many genders are there?” Carnell smiled, paused, and didn’t provide a clear answer. After the question was repeated, she responded, “Different people think about it differently.”
Many conservatives took issue with her response, criticizing her for not being direct and instead discussing inclusivity. Tudor Dixon, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan, expressed concern that Democrats are attempting to sexualize educational content, claiming that the Michigan Board of Education is pushing what she considers “extremist ideology” into K-12 schools.
Republican Michigan Senator Aric Nesbitt highlighted issues with student literacy rates in Michigan, pointing out that three-quarters of children are not reading at grade level. He suggested that the statements from education officials like Carnell were alarming, especially when considering these statistics.
Roger Severino, from the Heritage Foundation, remarked on the reluctance of progressives to answer fundamental questions about gender, pointing to a previous comment made by Justice Jackson about not being a biologist. Meanwhile, conservative influencer Paul A. Cipla called the situation “beyond embarrassing,” suggesting those unable to provide a number on genders shouldn’t be involved in voting processes.
Carnell later clarified her position, stating that the focus should be on the current Michigan Health Education Standards Guidelines. She stressed that the aim is to equip local districts with research-based information, facilitating discussions about gender identity as part of a broader educational framework. By eighth grade, students are expected to understand and differentiate between gender identity, gender expression, and biological sex, according to Carnell.
Last week, the Michigan State Board of Education moved forward with new sex education standards that encourage teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation, despite pushback from various community members who believe it undermines parental rights and religious beliefs. This decision passed with a vote of 6-2.
Carnell faced criticism for the board’s decision, with Dixon claiming the changes were far-left and disregarded the concerns of parents and legislators. The state Department of Education clarified that these new standards are recommendations, not obligatory, and that local schools must still adhere to state laws.
The standards aim to provide guidance to local districts while allowing parents to decide on their child’s participation in sex education programs. Ultimately, school districts retain the authority to tailor their health curricula, which could include sex education, pending community approval.
