Portland Public Schools posted its official back-to-school video on Facebook last Friday. The first face families saw wasn't a principal, a teacher, or even students. It was a drag queen named Poison Waters.
Out of every educator in the entire district, this was who the school district chose to represent them to the community.
What does a drag queen have to do with back to school? Great question...
Poison Waters — real name Kevin Cook — has been performing in drag since the 1980s and is identified in the video as an "advocate, educator, and host." Cook delivered the district's official message to staff and families for the 2026-2027 school year: "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."
The video also featured Democratic Representative Maxine Dexter and Senator Jeff Merkley. But Waters got top billing. The drag performer continued: "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."
Waters has been involved in drag queen storytime events since 2019 and has volunteered at camps for children affected by HIV/AIDS since 2001. That's the resume Portland Public Schools decided best represented its message to families dropping off their kids for first grade.
The timing is remarkable for another reason. Portland Public Schools is currently facing a lawsuit from a mother named Allison Roberts, who accused the district of promoting "trans ideology in public schools." The district's response to that lawsuit was apparently to put a drag performer front and center in its most visible public-facing video of the year.
Think about what this video actually is. It's not a Pride event. It's not a community art show. It's the institutional welcome message — the one that goes to every family in the district. Every parent opening Facebook to see what their kid's school year looks like got Poison Waters before they got a single word about curriculum, test scores, or classroom resources.
The defense will be predictable. "Drag is art." "Inclusion matters." "Why are you so threatened?" None of which answers the question parents are actually asking: why is a drag performer the face of our children's school district?
Portland has spent years watching families leave the public school system. Parents who were on the fence about homeschooling or private school just got their answer hand-delivered in a Facebook video.
The district had thousands of teachers, counselors, coaches, and cafeteria workers to choose from. People who show up every day, work for modest pay, and actually interact with students. Instead, Portland picked the drag queen.
