Teacher advised to ditch Pride flag in New York classroom. Now there’s an enormous protest

The combat over whether or not LGBTQ+ symbols have a spot in colleges has ignited in a Long Island college district.

The Connetquot Central School District is accused of forcing a instructor to take away a sure Pride flag she hung in her classroom, however permitting her to maintain the standard rainbow Pride flag on show, in accordance with News12 The Bronx.

The district advised her to take away the Progress Pride flag, a redesign of the standard flag that includes colours that characterize transgender folks, folks of shade, and group members misplaced to HIV/AIDS and people presently dwelling with AIDS. The redesign celebrates the variety of the LGBTQ group and represents the identities that championed the trendy day Pride motion.

The district addressed the controversy in an announcement firstly of the Board of Education assembly on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

“Earlier this year, students reported feeling uncomfortable about a flag that was being displayed on the wall in a particular classroom directly adjacent to the American flag. This flag, which was at least twice the size of the American flag on display, was the Progress Pride Flag,” the assertion says. “As our school district strives to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all, this matter was immediately looked into.”

According to the assertion, the district introduced the scholars’ issues to the instructor’s consideration, and mentioned “several ways to maintain the feeling that the classroom is a welcoming space for all, while being sensitive to the concerns raised by the students.”

The district requested the instructor to take away the Progress Pride flag throughout class, however allowed the instructor to place it again up for the college’s Genders and Sexualities Alliances membership conferences after college, the assertion says.

“It must be stressed that this option only focused on the Progress Pride Flag. The traditional Pride flag, which was also on display in the classroom but not included in the students’ concerns, was suggested to remain on display during the school day,” the assertion says.

The instructor refused that provide, in addition to the district’s supply to put in an indication stating “This is a safe space to be who you are” within the classroom, the assertion says.

That’s when — “having exhausted all of these alternatives and being left without further recourse” — the district banned all flags apart from the American flag, the New York state flag and curriculum-based flags, the assertion says.

“Please be assured, it was never the district’s intention to create a perception that our schools are not safe and welcoming spaces for all,” the assertion says. “Each of our children deserve a school where they are safe, comfortable and respected, regardless of what race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation they espouse to.”

A New York nonprofit known as the LGBT Network is pursuing authorized motion towards the college board, and argued the flag isn’t political and the district’s coverage discriminates towards the LGBTQ+ group, in accordance with News12.

Hundreds of people confirmed as much as the Connetquot School Board assembly Tuesday, Oct. 11 to protest the choice, Pix11 reported.

A gaggle of two dozen or so additionally rallied in help of the college district’s actions, the outlet reported.

“Let’s not bring politics into the school district,” dad or mum Jennifer Locascio stated.

Many former and present college students spoke out towards the college board’s actions, stating that for college kids who don’t dwell in a supportive dwelling atmosphere, college is likely one of the few secure locations for them.

“If you take down the Pride flag, you’re sending the message that homophobia is going to fly here, and I would have to hide myself,” eighth-grade scholar Eliza Erwin stated.

Many additionally identified that forcing the instructor to ditch the Progress flag however not the standard Pride flag struck them as racist and transphobic.

“I’d like to thank the school board for saying the quiet part out loud, that the LGBT flag is fine, but as soon as you add trans people, Black people, people who suffer from AIDs, it’s a political issue,” an individual who launched themselves as James stated. “I’d like to talk about that a little bit. … These are people’s lives. These are people that died. That’s the reason this flag needs to be displayed.”

Superintendent Lynda G. Adams wrote a letter to folks final week, News12 reported. It says the district is “aware of the mixed perspectives surrounding the display of the Progress Pride flag” in a classroom.

“Schools must remain neutral and safe learning spaces for all students and staff and while we respect individual personal beliefs, the classroom is not the appropriate setting to express these views, especially if they create a disruption to the educational environment,” the letter states. “Any materials or conversations that violate this mission are prohibited within our schools.”