Please follow us on X @ https://twitter.com/wakeupplacer
School boards in Placer County (not The Rocklin Unified School District) made news recently when a Project Veritas undercover journalist broke a story about the Loomis Basin Congregational United Church of Christ’s local mission efforts. The church’s local mission, Landing Spot, created a youth drag show which was in its third year.
This youth drag show is different from the “traditional youth drag shows” where men perform for kids. Loomis Basin Congregational United Church of Christ’s, Landing Spot mission’s drag show was an innovation. It recruited high school boys to dance, ‘burlesque’ style in front of a live audience, for tips, to raise money so each boy could pay his way to go to the church’s summer camp.
Project Veritas’ report covering the event in 2023 can be found here:
https://www.projectveritas.com/news/california-reverend-says-it-is-critical-to-discuss-sexual-identity-and/
Thomas Hogan posted a review some of the youth drag show issues on Wake Up Placer’s (WUP) web page. WUP’s issue was that local and regional media did a poor job reporting on the church, the Landing Spot, and their youth drag show fundraiser. WUP’s article can be found here: https://wakeupplacer.com/kids/h-s-boys-who-dance-on-stage-dont-dance-to-the-sound-of-freedom/
While is not the goal of this post to re-review the youth drag show event, describe the value it created by objectifying boys for money, or rate the quality of local media- I needed to share these events because I see them as a frame to discuss the idea of the value of Christ to OUR community. Its important now because local leaders are getting attacked in the press for being ‘Christian’.
Placer County has a considerable number of Christian denominations: Episcopalians, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Pentecostals, etc. – so we have ‘Christ followers’ in our community. Christ followers don’t always agree- but we generally do good things for the community- like: teach kids how to play instruments, coach sports, help kids with homework, etc.
One thing I think we Christ Followers are against is telling kids to find love by dancing burlesque style on stage for money. NOTE: I did NOT ask any Board member OR other folks for their thoughts on the youth drag show issue- so remember these comments are mine.
Current events: Attack on Rocklin Unified School District/Trustee Hupp
Recently, Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD)Trustee Julie Hupp used a social media post to ask for ‘Christ Followers’ to join RUSD school committees.
The result was that our kind, loving, tolerant community posted on her Facebook page that she was a hateful villain. The attacks on RUSD Trustee Hupp have now gone national – and we have papers in Maine commenting on her request for Christ followers to join school committees.
Some of the more well-thought-out posts that were made by the kind, loving, tolerant members of our community asserted that her requests to have “Christ followers” sign up for RUSD committees will lead to her removing the topic of evolution from the RUSD curriculum. This kind of focused fear porn led to the creation of a Facebook page titled “Recall Julie”. I guess someone decided that Recall Julie was a poor choice to name a Facebook group – so the page was renamed “Call out Julie”. Perhaps they can scare folks in Maine to send them money for their effort.
In an effort to seek to understand the energy behind the issue, I spoke to some folks in the community.
My sample size is not perfect- but my responses included:
Student: Gee Mr. Cooper – why do people hate Christians so much? You seem like a nice guy. (yea for me)
Parent: What is going on with the community? Could someone actually remove evolution from the RUSD curriculum?
Friend: Why are liberals unable say anything funny on social media?
($50 for the best answer to this question)
I spoke (briefly) with Trustee Hupp. She shared that she was sad that this issue had become a distraction from the real work that is in front of the Board. She also shared a concern that any group, Christians included, would be attacked for wanting to serve on a committee.
What she did not share in our discussion is a list of the work that the RUSD Board has done over the last 36 months.
If you follow the RUSD, then you know that over the last 3 years the RUSD has been working a zillion hours a week doing stuff like: Creating a balanced budget, Settling teachers’ contract issues, Listening to the community’s covid concerns and finding a path for all groups to move forward. My comment is that these are the things that folks like her do at the adult table.
I offer that folks who use social media to energize fear don’t get to sit at the adult table.
To be fair, I also (probably) don’t get to sit the adult table.
I am ok with not getting a seat with the adults. I like the ability to leave the table when the conversation gets silly. Adults must be nice and sit and listen to the folks who are silly, until, the silly folks stop talking.
What I would share is that as a Christ follower, I will not be mocked as someone who believes that my God is relevant to all parts of my community’s life. I hope that the Ministers Pastors, Fathers, Priests, Bishops and Deacons in our town will join an effort to openly remind our community that we get to believe that God is the Lord of the Heavens and Earth- which includes Rocklin.
Our church leaders need to make it safe for Christ followers to say ‘Hey we think Jesus and His words are relevant to our community’s daily life.” I offer that this will only happen when folks ask their clergy to speak up and say something snappy like- “Hey , don’t pick on Christ followers- they too- get to speak their mind”.
(Editors note: Because we are in California- silly people will will say my comments should be interpreted in a way that inserts the idea that NO OTHER GROUPS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. If you insert those words into my argument, please re-read the above like 10 times so you get the message that I did not say that other groups should not be able to share their thoughts or join committees. This is America. This is California. Everybody is welcome to come to the discussion and to sit on a school committee. Some of you though – dont get to sit at the adult table.)
Why should you care?
I would offer that it was a small group of mostly unknown Christians, who were the first to openly discuss the youth drag show ‘efforts’ that were going on in Placer County High schools.
The group’s discussions about the Loomis Basin Congregational United Church of Christ’s Landing Spot’s innovative new mission/fundraising effort NEVER picked on, NEVER were hurtful to and were NEVER dismissive of any group. Even the Pastor of the church that brought Placer County this market changing innovation of “boys dancing stage for money as a fundraiser” only got called goofy. I got reprimanded for doing that.
This group was very concerned that any kid would be taught that they can learn about love by dancing on a stage for money. Getting paid (via tips) to dance on stage used to be called objectification. Having kids do it should still be called objectification.
I have NOT discussed my ideas with Trustee Hupp- she is Board President and she is busy.
Plus- I am not allowed to sit at the adult table- so its hard to connect with her.
That said- I am pretty vocal- so while I bet she has heard me, I need to assure you that the Trustee and I don’t talk policy. I don’t have much to add on topics that require the use of polysyllabic words.
BUT I would offer that a reason why the RUSD did not have a group recruiting RUSD high school students to learn how to ‘let the love in’ (last year’s youth drag show title- the actual ad is shared in this post) is probably attributable to the actions of some ‘Christ followers’ in the RUSD who would have asked how getting money tips, by dancing on stage, for an audience, teaches love?
I think these RUSD ‘Christ followers’ would have said that love is patient and kind. I think that they would have said that love is NOT getting a $20 tip for doing the splits on stage in a sexy outfit.
I support RUSD Trustee’s Counter, Hupp, Price and Saathoff – mostly because they are smart, good people who care about all the kids in our community.
If you want to support them- please call the Gold Country Media and make sure they cover this story even handedly. You can reach Mr. John Love, the Publisher, and General Manager, at 916-774-7939 or email him at: johnl@goldcountrymedia.com
You could also support them by opening a discussion on this issue within your church. I am not a clergy member but its my hope that the next time we need to collect thoughts on an issue like this a Minister, Pastor, Father, Priest, Bishop, or Deacon in our town writes the article. Heck maybe it even could come from a local paper.
Lastly- if you understand social media- you can comment on Facebook:
Trustee Hupp's Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/JulieRUSD/
'Recall Julie' / ‘Call Out Julie’ Facebook fear porn is here: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1666993663714251/
Facebook page bashing Trustee Hupp can be found here: 'Parents for Social consciousness': https://www.facebook.com/grassrootspfscca/
Caution– If you plan to visit these Facebook pages PLEASE bring an attitude of cheer. Folks that fear the removal of the evolution curriculum need some happy vibes in their life.