‘Woke Garbage’: LPS Gets Blowback Over LGBTQ+ Job Posting
by John Gage
LINCOLN – Lincoln Public Schools received criticism after posting a job listing for an “LGBTQ+ Advocate Specialist.” LPS announced the job opening on Tuesday, and conservatives were quick to criticize the listing.
“This school [district] is using your tax dollars to push this woke garbage on students,” said Libs of TikTok, an account with nearly 5 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. The account is run by conservative activist Chaya Raichik.
Raichik’s post had hundreds of responses from conservatives criticizing LPS over the job posting. Nebraska Family Alliance (NFA), an organization that supports traditional family values, responded to the post, stating this was another example of radical gender ideology being pushed on children.
“Gender ideology is being forced on students in the Lincoln Public School system,” NFA said in a tweet on X. “This is another troubling example of radical gender ideology being imposed on young students in NE, ignoring their privacy and safety and the concerns of parents. We must take steps now to protect NE children.”
Nate Grasz, the Executive Director of NFA, added in a statement that LPS should focus on improving math and reading scores.
“Plain and simple, this isn’t education. This is indoctrination,” he said. “Parents and kids deserve better.”
State Board of Education member Kirk Penner also criticized LPS. “Not surprised,” Penner stated. “Last year at Lincoln SE, they were letting boys use a girls locker room with the girls present. Lincoln SW had a speaker telling students where to get lube and the abortion bill. The Learning Comm. Douglas/Sarpy Co bussed kids to a Pride parade.”
The LGBTQ+ Advocate Specialist listing said the position is set up to help give “cultural support” to families, students, and staff while working with each to promote “an understanding of student perspectives” and “integrating school and family goals for the greatest academic success of the student.”
The position is part of a larger Youth Development Team (YDT) within LPS. Their site states the team exists to ensure “equitable opportunities” for all students in the district.
In addition to their LGBT+ Advocate, the team includes two “Latinx/a/o/Hispanic” student advocates, two advocates for the African American community, three Native American student advocates, one homeless student advocate, a systems transition student advocate, and a supervisor.
Senator Says LPS Should Focus on Test Scores
State Senator Rob Clements, whose district covers parts of Lincoln and Lancaster County, said that the LGBT+ Advocate role was a waste of taxpayer dollars. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used for special interests to influence kids in this manner,” Clements stated.
In 2025, the State Board of Education approved the Nebraska Literacy Project, which seeks to increase third-grade proficiency to 75% by 2030. In LPS, only 55% of third graders were at proficiency level in 2025, according to accountability data released by the Nebraska Department of Education and LPS.
In their 2020-2021 report, LPS touted that its mean test scores “exceeds state mean scores in every grade from three through eight – in both English/language arts and mathematics.” Now, NDE and LPS data show the district lagging behind in almost every proficiency category.
Clements said the district needs to refocus its efforts on test scores, rather than on additional administrators.
“We already have an overburden of administrators in our school system,” he said. “Taxpayers want their money spent on improving academic scores.”
LPS Faced Multiple Controversies
The LPS Board of Education in 2023 faced parents upset with the school district allowing an LGBTQ+ sign to be posted in schools. The sign included the “Progress Pride Flag” created in 2018 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar.
The flag includes elements of the 1978 rainbow flag, as well as elements from the trans flag, and brown and black stripes meant to represent LGBTQ+ people from communities of color.
The sign also included a message, stating that LPS stands in solidarity with LGBTQ+ students, staff, and community members.
In 2024, LPS faced pushback online after Libs of TikTok posted a photo of an assignment from Lincoln Southeast High School asking students to point out “the social construction of implicit gender and how it is reflected in our school.”
LPS approved the assignment and said that it aligned with the state’s English Language Arts standards. The Plains Sentinel has reached out to LPS and the Youth Development Team for comment on this story.
John Gage is the Executive Editor of The Plains Sentinel.
Well said. Parents are pulling themselves out of such schools.