‘It’s had a chillg effect’: Florida teachers anx about ‘don’t say gay’ bill | Florida | The Guardian

gay classroom

Recent Posts

WEB GAY SERIESDecember 27, 2024
FOR GAY FAMILIES TODecember 27, 2024
GAY STORIES EPISODEDecember 27, 2024
LGBT BOOKS READ ONLINEDecember 27, 2024
GAY KICKBALL PHOENIXDecember 27, 2024
MISS GAY ARIZONA USOFADecember 27, 2024
SUPER MUSCLE GAYDecember 27, 2024
GAY WELLINGTON CHARACTERDecember 27, 2024
BUT THEN I FOUND OUT MICKEY WAS GAY SONGDecember 27, 2024
HALLOWEEN GAY PARTY PARISDecember 27, 2024

Tags

A gay teacher Massachetts has e out to his first-gra class. Did he do the right thg?

Contents:

AS FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW TAK EFFECT, SCHOOLS ROLL OUT LGBTQ RTRICTNS

A Florida teacher unr a state vtigatn for showg a Disney movie featurg a gay character said she wasn’t aware the state’s ntroversial law banng stctn about certa LGBTQ topics had been recently expand to apply to her gra level. * gay classroom *

After about a the classroom, he was named the bt tor Kentucky September 2021 -- but at the same time, he said, a small but vol mory his ral town Montgomery County went after, who is gay, told ABC News that he was sgled out for actually protectg LGBTQ kids his school and their fai, which ma him a said that earlier this year, a muny member who was postg about him on social media also repeatedly went to unty school board meetgs to report predatn and so-lled child "groomg" -- a term that has bee popular nservative circl for allegatns of adults sexually manipulatg said this person, who had not named him at the board meetgs but repeatedly referenced him by name onle, also "doxxed" him and some of his stunts on Facebook by sharg their private, acrdg to Carver, he and some stunts' parents asked Montgomery County Supertennt Dr. "Many crics labeled the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

GAY UNSELOR'S FIRG BY INDIANAPOLIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL PERMTED BY FERAL APPEALS URT

Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights Edutn bill -- which don't specifilly e the word "gay, " though broadly rtricts talk of sexualy and genr -- to law earlier this year rponse to "woke genr iology.

"Joshua Block is a staff attorney wh the Natnal ACLU’s Lbian Gay Bisexual Transgenr & HIV "We need to be teachg them to read or wre, to add, to subtract, " he said -- addg that "the purpose of our schools is to te kids not to doctrate them. "This is the exact oppose of what we need, " Kryk, a gay fifth-gra teacher outsi of Tampa, told ABC News.

FLORIDA TEACHER UNR VTIGATN FOR SHOWG DISNEY MOVIE WH GAY CHARACTER SAYS SHE DIDN’T KNOW LGBTQ RTRICTN APPLIED TO HER CLASS

He intifi as gay. Before the bill was passed, some Democrats unsuccsfully attempted to make more specific -- rtrictg stctn on sexual activy rather than orientatn, for though many who spoke wh ABC News said they are disappoted the law's lack of clary, some gay teachers don't see an issue wh . Pancholy's Stonewall Honor-wng novel "The Bt at It" follows 12-year-old Rahul Kapoor, who is not only figurg out his cultural inty as an Indian-Amerin but is also jt begng to realize that he might be gay.

And so what's next: gay marriage? As Florida’s Parental Rights Edutn law — or what crics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law — go to effect Friday, some of the state’s public school districts have begun rollg out new polici to lim LGBTQ issu and inti om beg discsed the Tuday night, the Leon County School Board unanimoly approved s “LGBTQ Inclive School Gui, ” which clus a provisn to alert parents if a stunt who is “open about their genr inty” is their child’s physil tn class or wh them on an overnight school trip.

Clifford / AP fileThe so-lled Don’t Say Gay law, HB 1557, bans “stctn” about sexual orientatn or genr inty “ krgarten through gra 3 or a manner that is not age appropriate or velopmentally appropriate for stunts acrdance wh state standards.

COMG OUT CLASS: WHEN TEACHERS TELL STUNTS "I'M GAY"

” A provisn the law also requir school staff members to alert parents about “cril cisns affectg a stunt’s mental, emotnal, or physil health or well-beg, ” which many advot have terpreted as a way to force tors to out their gay or trans stunts.

They have also ntend that will not prohib teachers and stunts om talkg about their LGBTQ fai or bar classroom discsns about LGBTQ history, cludg events like the 2016 attack at the Pulse gay nightclub crics and legal experts have said the broad language of the law uld open school districts and teachers to lawsus om parents who believe any nversatn about LGBTQ people or issu is “not age appropriate. Carlos Smh, a Democrat who is gay and has been an outspoken cric of the new law, said he was “not surprised” that schools the state were announcg the polici and guil.

“What’s happeng right now — wh the censorship of rabow flags and school districts preparg to basilly ph LGBTQ stunts and teachers to the closet — is exactly what we said would happen wh the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.

FIRG OF GAY CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHER ULD TT LATT SUPREME COURT LG

"Members and supporters of the LGBTQ muny at the "Say Gay Anyway" rally Miami Beach, Fla., on March 13. Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Imag fileFive other stat — all of them the South — have enacted laws that lim stctn or discsns about LGBTQ people or issu school, and at least 32 others have proposed such measur this year, acrdg to acrdg to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ thk tank that has been trackg the strsed that the polici will have nsequenc for lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer stunts, potg to the disproportnately high rat of suici attempts among the untry’s LGBTQ youths. ”In Palm Beach County, Woods, who is gay, said that after they received the qutnnaire om school officials to flag urse material or books wh LGBTQ referenc, many of his lleagu are nervo they’ll be reprimand if they miss somethg.

WASHINGTON – A feral appeals urt has led that a Catholic high school Indianapolis was ee to fire a gay guidance unselor bee she performed at least some relig duti, the latt legal setback for LGBTQ+ rights when they nflict wh Fzgerald had worked for 14 years as a guidance unselor at Ronlli High School when school officials disvered she was married to another woman. A Florida teacher unr a state vtigatn for showg a Disney movie featurg a gay character said she wasn’t aware the state’s ntroversial law banng stctn about certa LGBTQ topics had been recently expand to apply to her gra level. The Disney film tells the story of a fay of explorers and featur a gay character.

When DeSantis signed the ban to law last year, he and other Florida Republins touted as a protectn of parents’ rights, while opponents slammed as yet another effort by GOP lawmakers the state to erase and opprs LGBTQ people schools, llg the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

‘IT’S HAD A CHILLG EFFECT’: FLORIDA TEACHERS ANX ABOUT ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL

Comg Out Class: When Teachers Tell Stunts "I'm Gay"Teacher Talks wh First-Grars It began as a classroom discsn about fai. Acrdg to prs acunts of the exchange, Gaa told the children that he is gay, and that he liv wh a partner, "someone you love the way your mom and dad love each other. " When a stunt asked if he liked beg gay, Gaa rpond that was a hard qutn to answer, but that he was proud of who he was.

"My pot is, the same standards of discretn should be applied for homosexual and heterosexual teachers, and therefore the same standard of tolerance and rpect should be applied. " A Tough Call For Teachers For gay and lbian teachers, the cisn to talk wh kids about their sexual orientatn is seldom an easy one. " On the other hand, this teacher believ, is entirely appropriate for young children to learn what the words "gay and lbian" mean.

FLORIDA SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS CLOSED VTIGATN TO TEACHER WHO SHOWED DISNEY MOVIE WH GAY CHARACTER

"What Do Gay Mean?

" Tips for Talkg wh Young Kids It's ironic: While parents are ually more ncerned about younger children's exposure to homosexualy, ltle kids are ls likely to grasp what means than olr stunts are.

Some suggtns for parents om Eleanora Villegas-Reimers, associate profsor of human velopment at Wheelock College Boston: DO iate a nversatn wh children if you know they've had classroom discsns about what means to be gay.

BEG GAY AT SCHOOL REMAS DIFFICULT FOR TEACHERS

Ignorg the issue sends children the msage that homosexualy is somethg that shouldn't be discsed. " DO talk about "different kds of fai, " and clu gay and lbian fai wh a mentn of divorced and sgle-parent fai, multicultural fai, etc. "Even if you don't embrace the homosexual liftyle, the fai do exist, " says Villegas-Reimers.

Michael Woods, a high school special tn teacher Palm Beach unty, Florida, wh 30 years of experience teachg and who grew up as a stunt the area who was bullied for beg gay, said he cried the night before this school year began Augt 2022 bee of anxiety related to Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill that went to effect July 2022.

“As a gay teacher, as a queer male, ’s been paful for me, ’s been very paful and very upsettg, ” said Woods.

GAY TEACHER 'HAD SEX HIS CLASSROOM DURG SCHOOL HOURS'

“The bills are all based on false pretens, they’re li, they’re based on li, they make assumptns that somethg is happeng our schools area, that teachers are somehow doctratg our stunts, teachg them to be gay, or whatever the se may be, ” said Andrew Spar, print of the Florida Edutn add: “I thk the biggt thg gog to the school year is the unknown, bee this bill and the other bills that are out there, give parents the abily to brg plats agast teachers, brg lawsus agast school districts, and we jt don’t know how ’s gog to play out.

”Ron DeSantis, the ernor of Florida, signg the ‘don’t say gay’ bill March 2022. 5 ln fe agast the Temecula Valley Unified School District ls than a day after nservative board members voted to reject a state-endorsed curriculum that clus a short bgraphy of gay rights lear Harvey Milk.

Komrosky, the board print, has lled Milk a "pedophile, " while dozens of atten, many om outsi the school district, livered impassned speech agast teachg anythg that refers to sex or homosexualy to elementary school-age stunts.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY CLASSROOM

Live</tle><rect width="39" height="22" rx="3" fill="#CB1111"></rect><path d="M5.756 5.66H8.186V15.002H12.506V17H5.756V5.66ZM13.5783 5.66H16.0083V17H13.5783V5.66ZM22.5198 17H20.0718L16.7958 5.66H19.2798L21.3498 13.31H21.4218L23.5098 5.66H25.7958L22.5198 17ZM33.3901 15.002V17H26.5861V5.66H33.3541V7.658H28.9621V10.25H32.3101V12.212H28.9621V15.002H33.3901Z" fill="whe"></path></svg></span>on<span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_news-now-img__961yW"><svg width="144" height="16" viewBox="0 0 144 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>NBC News Now</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3686_260016)"><path d="M143.711 12.9351H106.432V15.7204H143.711V12.9351Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M138.308 11.0828H141.078L143.924 0.253418H141.218L139.725 6.7182H139.678L138.044 0.253418H135.417L133.77 6.7182H133.708L132.215 0.253418H129.276L132.114 11.0828H135.005L136.655 4.66263H136.747L138.308 11.0828Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M120.534 5.67944C120.534 3.79098 121.713 2.45958 123.394 2.45958C125.074 2.45958 126.254 3.76034 126.254 5.67944C126.254 7.59855 125.072 8.89651 123.394 8.89651C121.716 8.89651 120.534 7.59576 120.534 5.67944ZM123.394 11.3253C126.814 11.3253 129.206 8.89652 129.206 5.67944C129.206 2.46237 126.828 0.0307617 123.394 0.0307617C119.959 0.0307617 117.578 2.45958 117.578 5.67944C117.578 8.8993 119.956 11.3253 123.394 11.3253V11.3253Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M113.118 11.0827H116.427V0.250488H113.625V6.71528H113.564L109.74 0.250488H106.429V11.0827H109.23V4.61234H109.294L113.118 11.0827Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M93.1764 3.4594C93.1764 1.43446 94.8964 0 97.608 0C99.9219 0 101.706 1.11414 102.169 2.87169L99.6474 3.4594C99.3672 2.60987 98.6557 2.15308 97.6613 2.15308C96.7368 2.15308 96.0757 2.54581 96.0757 3.26721C96.0757 5.42029 102.423 3.07224 102.423 7.70427C102.423 9.85734 100.572 11.2946 97.9414 11.2946C94.9664 11.2946 93.1147 9.98825 92.5181 7.70427L95.0981 7.31432C95.2562 7.86892 95.5951 8.35559 96.0616 8.69791C96.5281 9.04022 97.0957 9.21879 97.6753 9.20557C98.7958 9.20557 99.5269 8.68471 99.5269 7.96609C99.5353 5.7406 93.1764 8.09143 93.1764 3.4594Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M85.7161 4.61826H85.6489L84.0157 11.083H81.1051L78.2422 0.248047H81.22L82.7411 6.70726H82.8055L84.4583 0.248047H87.1055L88.7583 6.70726H88.8227L90.3439 0.248047H93.0555L90.2122 11.083H87.4361L85.7161 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M77.4499 0.248047V2.53203H71.7633V4.42328H76.2453V6.70726H71.7633V8.79627H77.5815V11.083H68.9199V0.248047H77.4499Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M60.5243 4.61826L60.4571 11.083H57.6138V0.248047H60.9193L64.7543 6.70726H64.8215V0.248047H67.6649V11.083H64.3593L60.5243 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M42.5679 5.67658C42.5679 2.35087 44.8818 0.0668945 48.2545 0.0668945C50.899 0.0668945 52.8823 1.43728 53.6779 3.78532L50.9662 4.30619C50.7735 3.76474 50.4145 3.29724 49.94 2.96983C49.4654 2.64242 48.8993 2.47169 48.3218 2.48178C46.6018 2.48178 45.5429 3.72126 45.5429 5.67658C45.5429 7.63189 46.6634 8.87416 48.3218 8.87416C48.8996 8.88405 49.466 8.71291 49.9406 8.38498C50.4152 8.05704 50.774 7.58894 50.9662 7.04697L53.6106 7.57062C52.7506 9.98273 50.899 11.289 48.2545 11.289C44.8818 11.289 42.5679 8.941 42.5679 5.67658Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M32.4521 0.248047H37.741C40.1221 0.248047 41.6433 1.16164 41.6433 3.24786C41.6452 3.75624 41.4774 4.25089 41.1661 4.65418C40.8548 5.05747 40.4177 5.34658 39.9232 5.47614V5.5402C40.9821 5.73796 41.9066 6.52064 41.9066 8.01916C41.9066 10.1722 40.3855 11.083 38.0072 11.083H32.4521V0.248047ZM35.3627 4.49012H37.2788C38.3993 4.49012 38.7999 4.2283 38.7999 3.50968C38.7999 2.79107 38.3377 2.53203 37.2788 2.53203H35.3627V4.49012ZM35.3627 6.51229V8.79627H37.346C38.5366 8.79627 39.0632 8.4676 39.0632 7.68214C39.0632 6.89667 38.5366 6.568 37.346 6.568H35.3627V6.51229Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M24.054 4.61826L23.984 11.083H21.1406V0.248047H24.449L28.284 6.70726H28.3484V0.248047H31.1917V11.083H27.8862L24.054 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M16.9526 7.11688C16.5767 7.10716 16.2056 7.20323 15.8822 7.39403L10.6504 11.0274H16.9526C17.473 11.0274 17.9721 10.8219 18.3401 10.456C18.7081 10.09 18.9149 9.59378 18.9149 9.07631C18.9149 8.55884 18.7081 8.06257 18.3401 7.69667C17.9721 7.33076 17.473 7.12519 16.9526 7.12519V7.11688Z" fill="#0DB14B"></path><path d="M10.8291 10.1962L16.5432 6.29952C16.7602 6.16158 16.9478 5.98248 17.0953 5.77245C17.2427 5.56242 17.3471 5.32557 17.4025 5.07542C17.4579 4.82527 17.4632 4.56673 17.4181 4.31455C17.373 4.06237 17.2784 3.82147 17.1397 3.60565C17.0009 3.38983 16.8208 3.20329 16.6096 3.05669C16.3983 2.91008 16.1601 2.80626 15.9086 2.75119C15.657 2.69611 15.3969 2.69085 15.1433 2.73569C14.8897 2.78054 14.6474 2.87463 14.4304 3.01257C14.109 3.20856 13.8499 3.49107 13.6833 3.82738L10.8291 10.1962Z" fill="#0089CF"></path><path d="M12.5989 0.249348C12.8333 0.357094 13.0439 0.510047 13.2185 0.699339C13.393 0.88863 13.528 1.1105 13.6156 1.35206C13.7033 1.59363 13.7418 1.85008 13.729 2.10657C13.7162 2.36306 13.6523 2.61446 13.541 2.84621L10.8206 8.79378L9.93701 3.17879C9.90412 3.02045 9.93406 2.85561 10.0206 2.71873C10.238 2.3917 10.7843 2.13396 10.7815 2.09793C10.7788 2.0619 10.7286 1.98984 10.5028 1.98984H9.78369C9.79649 1.71105 9.86569 1.43769 9.98716 1.1861C10.0955 0.952999 10.2494 0.743609 10.4397 0.570069C10.6301 0.396529 10.8533 0.262295 11.0962 0.175156C11.3392 0.0880165 11.5971 0.04971 11.855 0.0624465C12.113 0.0751829 12.3658 0.138705 12.5989 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#645FAA"></path><path d="M6.41914 0.249348C6.1847 0.357094 5.97407 0.510047 5.79954 0.699339C5.625 0.88863 5.49 1.1105 5.40236 1.35206C5.31472 1.59363 5.27621 1.85008 5.28902 2.10657C5.30183 2.36306 5.36574 2.61446 5.47701 2.84621L8.19747 8.79378L9.22319 2.27251C9.26287 1.89961 9.19624 1.52313 9.03088 1.1861C8.92252 0.952999 8.76869 0.743609 8.57831 0.570069C8.38793 0.396529 8.16478 0.262295 7.92183 0.175156C7.67888 0.0880165 7.42095 0.04971 7.163 0.0624465C6.90504 0.0751829 6.65221 0.138705 6.41914 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#C9234A"></path><path d="M2.46669 6.2992L8.18075 10.1959L5.31535 3.82151C5.14952 3.48468 4.89036 3.20198 4.56836 3.0067C4.12998 2.72812 3.59826 2.63411 3.09017 2.74534C2.58207 2.85656 2.13921 3.16392 1.85903 3.5998C1.57886 4.03567 1.48432 4.56437 1.59619 5.06957C1.70805 5.57476 2.01715 6.01507 2.45553 6.29365L2.46669 6.2992Z" fill="#F37021"></path><path d="M2.06533 7.11707C1.5449 7.11707 1.04575 7.32263 0.677748 7.68853C0.309746 8.05443 0.103027 8.55071 0.103027 9.06817C0.103027 9.58564 0.309746 10.0819 0.677748 10.4478C1.04575 10.8137 1.5449 11.0193 2.06533 11.0193H8.36752L3.13566 7.40252C2.81314 7.20881 2.44206 7.10985 2.06533 7.11707Z" fill="#FDB913"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3686_260016"><rect width="144" height="16" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></span><span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_chevron-img__sl67n"><svg viewBox="0 0 10 7" fill="none" xmlns="><path d="M1 1.07454L4.96238 5L9 1" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></div></div></sectn><div class="article-body" data-activy-map="article-article-body" data-taboola-target="read-more"><div class="article-body__grid--ntaer"><div class="ad dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="terstial" data-siz="[[[0,0],[[4,4]]]]" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn layout-grid-ntaer article-body__last-sectn article-body__first-sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"><sectn class="mb7"><div class="article-social-share-top"><ul class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=Edutn culture war fds a new target: Pri flags classrooms& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=Edutn culture war fds a new target: Pri flags classrooms via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2021-10-05T15:44:15.728Z" ntent="2021-10-05T15:44:15.728Z">Oct. 3, 2021, 10:11 AM UTC<span> / </span>Updated<!-- --> <!-- -->Oct. 5, 2021, 3:44 PM UTC</time></div><div class="article-le-byle" data-activy-map="le-byle-article-top">By <span class="byle-name"><a href=">Matt Laviet</a></span></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">Pri flags, which were created to promote uny, are beg lled polil and divisive some schools across the untry. A recent example: An Oregon school board on Tuday banned tors om displayg the flags. </p><p class="">“We don’t pay our teachers to ph their polil views on our stunts. That’s not their place,” a school board member Newberg, Brian Shannon, the policy’s thor, said at a rerd board meetg. </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">Several other school officials and stunts around the untry have targeted LGBTQ symbols. A teacher rigned Missouri last month after he was told to <a href=">remove</a> a rabow flag om his classroom and that he uldn’t discs “sexual preference” at school. Stunts at a high school near Jacksonville, Florida, were acced several weeks ago of harassg classmat a Gay Straight Alliance club and stompg on pri flags. And Augt, pri symbols were targeted at a high school near Dallas, where rabow stickers were orred to be scraped off classroom doors. </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Rally Oppos Prohibg Black LIv Matter and Pri Flags Newberg Schools" height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Stunts, teachers and parents rallied Thursday Newberg, Ore., to oppose an imment vote by the school board that would prohib Black Liv Matter and pri flags or banners schools. </span><span class="ptn__source">John Rudoff / Sipa USA via AP</span></figptn></figure><p class="">In most s, admistrators have said the LGBTQ emblems are divisive and “<a href=">polil</a>.” LGBTQ stunts, parents and teachers affected by the bans ntend that the new l harm a vulnerable group of young people.</p><p class="">“Feelg safe should not be polil,” said Victor Frsto, 16, a stunt at MacArthur High School Irvg, Texas, jt outsi Dallas. </p><p class="">“For me, when a teacher put up that sticker, basilly nveyed the msage that ‘when you e here, you will not be hated for who you love or what you intify as,’” said Frsto, who is gay. </p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ" data-ttid="vio-player"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="122526277822"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">Oregon school district bans 'ntroversial' flag displays</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>Oct. 1, 2021</span><span>02:01</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=Oregon school district bans 'ntroversial' flag displays& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">The cisn to ban the rabow pri stickers sent a very different msage, Frsto said.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class=""> “By seeg how those stickers were removed, you get the msage that ‘I do not f here, I should not be here,’” he said.</p><p class="">Frsto, who is the print of his school’s Gay Straight Alliance, or GSA, said the rabow stickers were removed overnight whout warng. </p><p class="">He and other GSA members took to the attentn of their GSA sponsors, a group of teachers who had already received an email om the school district about the matter.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Rally Oppos Prohibg Black LIv Matter and Pri Flags Newberg Schools" height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Stunts, teachers and parents rallied Thursday Newberg, Ore., to oppose an imment vote by the school board that would Black Liv Matter and Pri flags or banners schools.</span><span class="ptn__source">John Rudoff / Sipa USA via AP</span></figptn></figure><p class="">“While we appreciate the sentiment of reachg out to stunts who may not prevly always had such support, we want to set a different tone this year,” read the email, which a teacher shared wh NBC News.</p><p class="">The tors reassured the group that they would ph for an explanatn and fight to get the stickers back on classroom doors, Frsto said. But wh the next several days, two teachers were rted off mp, he said.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">A spokperson for the Irvg School District cled to intify the teachers and, when asked about their alleged removals, told NBC News that the district “do not ment on employee-related matters.” </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_small__5hUB_ styl_portra__NRWbO"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt=" A stunt walkout at MacArthur High School Irvg, Texas." height="862" width="591"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer"> A stunt walkout at MacArthur High School Irvg, Texas.</span><span class="ptn__source">Courty Victor Frsto</span></figptn></figure><p class="">In rponse to the sticker removal, hundreds of stunts staged a class walkout last week. In a <a href=">vio</a> posted Wednday by the muny-based journalism platform Smash Da Topic, stunts n be heard shoutg, “Brg our stickers back!”</p><p class="">After the prott, the district fend the move a <a href=">statement</a> as a way “to ensure that all stunts feel safe regardls of background or inty” by matag polil impartialy. </p><p class="">Newberg admistrators also ced polil ntraly fendg their policy. After havg e unr fierce cricism for prohibg pri and Black Liv Matter flags specifilly, school board members broaned a ban last month to block tors om displayg all symbols that the board emed “polil, quasi-polil or ntroversial.” </p><p class="">“Their place is to teach the approved curriculum, and that’s all this policy do, is ensure that’s happeng our schools,” Shannon, one of the seven school board members who spearhead the policy, said at a livtreamed <a href=">board meetg</a> Tuday night. </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Rally Oppos Prohibg Black LIv Matter and Pri Flags Newberg Schools" height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Stunts, teachers and parents rallied Thursday Newberg, Ore., to oppose an imment vote by the school board that would prohib Black Liv Matter and Pri flags or banners schools.</span><span class="ptn__source">John Rudoff / Sipa USA via AP</span></figptn></figure><p class="">The Newberg Cy Council and the Newberg Edutn Associatn, a unn reprentg 280 tors and staff members the district, have nounced the policy, and the Oregon State Board of Edutn has asked for to be revoked. Communy members have also petned to rell Shannon.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><p class="">“As a gay man wh no children and no real sire to have children, I feel like I should never know the nam of the people on the school board, let alone have to stand up agast them,” said Zachary Goff of Newberg, who lnched the petn, which has gotten over 1,000 signatur.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><p class="">“I thk I speak for a lot of people my muny, but we n’t s here and let this happen,” Goff add. “They picked a really bad town to be the guea pig.”</p><p class="">Chelsea Shotts, 29, who is bisexual and works at an elementary school as a behavral terventnist the school district, said her mental health has terrated sce the district troduced the policy over the summer.</p><p class="">“If I only red about myself, I would jt qu — like, easily qu and leave,” Shotts said. “But the thg is I’m Newberg and I’m Dune bee I love the stunts, and they serve everythg.</p><p class="">“I would rather be able to stay here and keep dog the work stead of beg attacked by a culture war that four board members started,” Shotts add. </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Chelsea Shotts, a Newberg School District behavral terventnist, fac off wh a unterprotter at a monstratn over pri and Black Liv Matter flags last week Newberg, Ore." height="837" width="1280"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Chelsea Shotts, a Newberg School District behavral terventnist, fac off wh a unterprotter at a monstratn over pri and Black Liv Matter flags last week Newberg, Ore.</span><span class="ptn__source">Courty Chelsea Shotts</span></figptn></figure><p class="">School admistrators aren’t the only people who have gone after pri flags and LGBTQ symbols this school year. </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">Police Blacksburg, Virgia, are vtigatg several thefts of pri flags outsi a Virgia Tech relig center. In one se, the LGBTQ symbols were <a href=">replaced</a> wh two Conferate flags. And Geia, a high schooler was charged last month wh <a href=">attackg</a> another stunt draped a pri flag a school feteria.</p><p class="">Advot have long been warng tors about the disproportnate rat of bullyg, harassment and mental health issu plagug LGBTQ youths.</p><p class="">A <a href=">survey</a> this year by The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suici preventn and crisis terventn anizatn, found that 42 percent of the nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youths who were surveyed serly nsired suici wh the last year. More than half of transgenr and nonbary youths who were surveyed serly nsired suici, also found.</p><p class="">A separate <a href=">survey</a> nducted by The Trevor Project last year found that LGBTQ youths who reported havg at least one LGBTQ-affirmg space also reported lower rat of attemptg suici.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Image: Cai and Cael Woolsy" height="2123" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Beth Woolsy's children, Cai and Cael Woolsy, both 14, on their first day of school Newberg, Ore.</span><span class="ptn__source">Courty Beth Woolsy</span></figptn></figure><p class="">Beth Woolsy, who is bisexual and has two LGBTQ children who attend school Newberg, said the harrowg numbers weigh on her as she sends her kids back to school every day.</p><p class="">“When we unrstand that ’s tly life and ath that we’re talkg about as we send our kids to school, and then they’ve taken away the safety of knowg who they n go to and who they n expect to advote for them, is really sry,” she said. </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="endmark"><strong><em>Follow </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>NBC Out</em></strong></a><strong><em> on </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Twter</em></strong></a><strong><em>, </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Facebook</em></strong></a><strong><em> & </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Instagram</em></strong></a></p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><div class="expand-byle-ntributors articleByleContaer"><div class="expand-byle article-expand-byle" data-activy-map="expand-byle-article-bottom"><div class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--has-image expand-byle__thumbnail"><a href="><picture><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="" height="48" width="48"/></picture></a></div><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name"><a href=">Matt Laviet</a></span><span class="byle-social expand-byle__social"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a><a href="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-email"></span></a></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"><p class="byle-b expand-byle__b">Reporter, NBC OUT</p></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div><span></span><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Closed Captng</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo .

TOP