Portland Public Schools puts drag performer front and center in ‘radical joy’ welcome video

Portland Public Schools (PPS) opened an official Facebook welcome-back video for teachers, principals and staff Friday with drag performer Poison Waters, who thanked district employees as the 2026-27 school year began.

Waters, whose legal name is Kevin Cook, appeared first and was identified onscreen as an advocate, educator and host. Waters thanked district employees for their work with students.

"I’m here to wish you all a successful 2026, 2027 school year and to thank all the amazing principals, teachers, and staff for your dedication to your students and their learning," Waters said. "While we can often get caught up in the hustle and bustle, it’s so important to remember that together we rise with excellence and purpose."

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Heritage Foundation education research fellow Corey DeAngelis, a school choice advocate, criticized the district’s decision in a statement to Fox News Digital Monday and accused PPS of promoting gender ideology.

"Portland Public Schools’ back-to-school video is beyond parody,"  DeAngelis said. "The government school system is trying to groom young impressionable minds into gender ideology. They want to brainwash other people’s kids and replace their families. The school system has overstepped their boundaries and needs to stay in its lane. The public school system is rubbing it in that they have control over children whether the parents like it or not. Kids don’t belong to the government. Parents are responsible for passing down values to their children, not government schools."

"The video posted on the school district’s official Facebook account is free advertising for school choice and homeschooling," he continued. "Families need the power to take their children’s education funding to the schools that align with their values rather than subvert them."

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Sonja Shaw, a candidate for California superintendent of public instruction, claimed the decision to feature Waters was an intentional ideological choice.

"That wasn’t an accident. It was a choice. And it tells you exactly where the district’s priorities are," Shaw said Monday in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Public schools exist to educate children in reading, writing, math, science and critical thinking. They are not stages for adult entertainment or ideological and cultural signaling."

"Get politics and adult entertainment out of our schools and get back to educating children," she added.

Tina Descovich, CEO and co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that no student should be welcomed back to class by a man in drag.

"Portland Public Schools has been unabashed about its objectives: hijacking the classroom to push a sexualized curriculum and progressive viewpoints on impressionable children," she said. "We see exactly what this district (backed fully by teachers unions) is doing, and Moms for Liberty will keep fighting to protect our children from the left’s indoctrination and get students back to learning again."

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A Portland State University profile described Waters as a longtime Portland performer, advocate and educator. Waters taught a noncredit course on the history of drag performance at Portland Community College and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Portland State in 2025.

The district video later featured messages from Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., along with other Portland-area public figures.

The video drew attention weeks after Portland mother Allison Roberts sued PPS and her children’s elementary school, alleging officials retaliated against her for objecting to gender-identity curriculum and an intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag. Fox News Digital previously reported that PPS declined to comment on the pending case.

Portland Public Schools, Waters and Dexter’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the welcome-back video.