Wisconsin school board bans pride and Black Lives Matter flags from the classroom
Charisa Bossinakis
Featured Image Credit: Christopher Bradshaw / Alamy Stock Photo. Christopher Bradshaw / Alamy Stock Photo
A Wisconsin school board has voted to eliminate pride and Black Lives Matter flags in school classrooms.
USA TODAY reports that the Kettle Moraine School Board has banned teachers from displaying flags with political messaging.
The state school board also outlined that teachers will not be permitted to reveal their preferred pronouns in emails after they disclosed that staff and students had become increasingly concerned.
The only official to vote against the ban was Jim Romanowski, who said he had changed his mind upon listening to students about the policy.
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In July, when the guidelines were first revealed, Superintendent Stephen Plumsaid stated that political messaging makes pupils and staff feel ‘uncomfortable’, according to CNN.
Despite political flags being prohibited, the board determined that subtle religious jewellery was 'acceptable'.
Following the announcement, the policy has been met with fierce criticism.
Abigail O'Connor, a queer student in the district, told the outlet: "I know people who cannot come out to their parents. They aren't accepted at home, so they look for acceptance at school.
"But now that acceptance is slowly fading away."
The policy had even led Wisconsin students Bethany Provan and Brit Farrar to initiate a petition.
"When (LGBTQ students) walk into school and see that simple rainbow flag hanging on the wall, they finally feel safe and supported," Provan said.
The online petition launched via Change.org has already accumulated over 13,000 signatures.
The two also condemned the board’s stance on pronouns, writing: “Maybe instead of banning teachers by simply saying their pronouns in email signs off, we actually teach students what they are.
"Because like it or not everyone has a pro-noun. she/her he/him are pro-nouns. You use them in everyday life. So is it a crime for our teachers to say what they would like to be referred by?”
American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Attorney Christine Donahue also panned the new rule for sending conflicting messages, according to USA TODAY.
Donahue said it would be difficult for teachers to determine what’s considered political.
She said: "If you have a policy that says 'nothing political,' does that mean you can't have a sign up that says, 'Support our Troops,' or 'Believe Women' or 'Save the Planet?'
"By some people's definitions, all of those things are political.”
