North Cook News

Illinois’ Fifth Congressional District Republican candidate Malgorzata “Maggie” McGonigal has criticized Barrington 220 School District's suggestion of "Gender Queer" as an option for a summertime reading list for sixth graders. 

The book, which contains graphic images, being allowed to be a part of children's education raised concern among parents and McGonigal.

“An 11-year-old shouldn't be talking about having a sexual interaction,” McGonigal told North Cook News. “I don't care if it's a boy to a book. The book actually has a picture of a grown-up man and a boy giving a blowjob and saying that, in a book. So I don't think our kids at age 11 are ready for anything like this, and that shouldn't be in their best interest. The brain is not developing as an adult brain, and they understand everything completely different. They should be more teaching about geography or what states are connected to the state of Illinois instead of pornography and sexual development.” 

McGonigal challenged the inclusion of pornographic books in the learning system. She said children should be reading about "geography, adventures, travel, mountains, rivers. Not about group sex or a brother and sister asking about your fluids." 

"What is wrong with these people? How do these books get actually approved? And they have an award? And in my head is a group of pedophiles that are giving out awards and they're just completely destroying our children. There is way more right now supporting and including people that have children in the LGBTQ community are also against this at schools and they consider this as a pornographic literature for underage or for minors. If you go to a Jewel and start showing pornographic pictures to strange kids, what's going to happen to you? Probably going to get arrested, but on our school grounds, they called (it) education and recommendation? I don't think this is going to end up really good for them,” McGonigal said.

McGonigal’s comments come days after concerned parent Nelda Munoz excoriated school board members for pushing the book on students via a summer reading list in which "Gender Queer" was included. 

"This is exactly what I would expect a pedophile to behave when approaching a child. To normalize sexual behavior, to abuse them. And this is how I see you. Stop sexualizing our kids. Stop abusing them,” Munoz said at the meeting, according to North Cook News.

McGonigal, who has two children and one stepchild living in the district, is on the June 28 GOP primary ballot, Ballotpedia reported. She is the favored candidate to win and take on U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL). Illinois’ Fifth Congressional District includes parts of Cook and DuPage counties.

"Gender Queer" was taken out of the library at Harlem High School, Rockford Sun reported.

"It’s porn," Lynette Hofman said, according to WIFR. "We're talking incest, molestation and pedophilia."

The book has gotten a lot of media attention since it contains illustrations of sex scenes. Parents all throughout the country have criticized author Maia Kobabe's images for being overly sexual and inappropriate for children.