In a move that has sparked significant debate, Home Depot found itself at the center of controversy after partnering with an LGBTQ program that introduced elementary students to concepts such as “pansexual” identities and “nonbinary” gender roles. The partnership, announced in June 2022, aligned the home improvement giant with the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) “Welcoming Schools” program—an initiative that many see as pushing an agenda far beyond traditional educational boundaries.
Home Depot’s involvement with the HRC’s program was presented under the guise of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). According to the company’s announcement at the time, this partnership was part of a broader effort to “advance meaningful change” within diverse communities. However, the specifics of the program reveal a more troubling agenda, especially for parents who believe that discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation should remain within the family, not in the classroom.
The “Welcoming Schools” program, touted by HRC as “the most comprehensive bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation,” offers K-12 lesson plans that delve into topics many consider inappropriate for young children. One such lesson plan targets students as young as kindergarten, introducing them to gender identity concepts through the book “Red: A Crayon’s Story.” This seemingly innocuous book is used as a tool to have children explore their “inner identities,” urging them to reflect on who they are beyond their outward appearance—raising the question of whether children this young should be prompted to question their gender identity at all.
Another eyebrow-raising lesson involves a “gender snowperson,” aimed at helping students grasp the idea that gender is not binary but a spectrum. The lesson plan suggests that when a baby is born, the doctor might declare the child a girl or boy based on anatomy, but that “gender” can only truly be known when the child starts talking. For many parents, this kind of rhetoric seems to undermine the fundamental biological differences between boys and girls, replacing them with a narrative that confuses rather than clarifies.
The program doesn’t stop at gender identity. It also encourages students in grades 3-5 to engage in social justice activism through exercises like “Social Justice Acrostic Poems.” Students are guided to choose from a list of left-leaning causes such as “Black Lives Matter,” “LGBTQ rights,” and “gun control” to create poetry. Critics argue that this is less about education and more about indoctrination, steering children toward a particular political ideology rather than encouraging open-minded exploration.
One of the most concerning aspects of the program is the “Gender Support Checklist,” which instructs educators to probe into a student’s family life to determine whether parents are supportive of their child’s chosen gender identity. This directive raises serious concerns about parental rights and the role of educators in potentially undermining a family’s values and beliefs.
While Home Depot defended its initial partnership with the HRC, emphasizing the need to combat bullying, the backlash from concerned parents and conservatives was swift. Critics argue that the company overstepped by aligning itself with an organization that pushes controversial and divisive content into classrooms.
Faced with mounting criticism, Home Depot quietly ended its partnership with the HRC in 2023. A spokesperson for the company confirmed the decision, stating that they were no longer involved with the organization and that their funding had been limited to supporting anti-bullying conferences.
The controversy surrounding Home Depot’s involvement in this program serves as a stark reminder of the growing tension between corporate America and concerned parents. As companies increasingly take sides in cultural debates, the backlash from conservative voices is likely to grow. For many, the issue isn’t just about a single partnership but about the broader push to inject progressive ideology into every corner of American life, including the education of the youngest and most impressionable minds.
In the end, Home Depot’s foray into social engineering may have cost it more than it bargained for, serving as a cautionary tale for other corporations considering similar moves.
