High School Bans LGBTQ Safe Space Signs
After raised concerns, a school board banned a high school from displaying LGBTQ stickers in a move that has divided many.
Teachers in the Grain Valley school district have been banned from displaying LGBTQ safe space stickers and cards in their classrooms. The school board came to the decision Monday after concerns were raised. This comes at a time when teachers have been caught using LGBTQ rights to push their own political ideologies, and even groom students in some alleged cases. The movement itself is receiving pushback for its role in grooming children to question factual biology and high gender transition concerns and procedures from their own parents.
The public education system is facing many challenges. Funding issues, enrollment drops, and teacher shortages are being seen at record rates. Add in political disagreements between parents and the schools themselves, and things have become quite contentious. Politically divisive issues have pulled focus from school performance rates, and academic studies, as teachers, school board members, and politicians encourage implementing their personal bias into classrooms — so much so that LGBTQ stickers are not being allowed or accepted as harmless symbols.
For the past few years teachers have raised pride flags, Black Lives Matter (BLM) flags, Back the Blue flags, and other political trademarks. One school went so far as to ban the American flag, which caused students to protest the decision. The American flag is the flag of the United States. It is a symbol that represents every citizen whether they wish to recognize that or not, whereas pride flags, BLM flags, and even Back the Blue flags arguably only represent select sub-sects of the population, and therefore leave out students who are not affiliated with or aware of these movements. LGBTQ stickers and signs declaring that a certain room is a “safe space” essentially has the same effect — it excludes students who do not identify as LGBTQ.
As if that weren’t enough, teachers have been caught boasting about instilling their personal beliefs on impressionable students, and even proudly declaring that they will hide information from these children’s legal guardians. Those who choose to hang LGBTQ stickers or signs are creating dissension among staff and families who may be wary of educators affiliated with such controversial classroom politics. After Florida passed its law banning sexual education to be taught before the 4th grade, the LGBTQ community’s reaction revealed a disturbing truth that many within that group believe they have a right to impart their beliefs on other people’s children without parental consent.
Whether this had any bearing on the Gran Valley School Board decision or not was never mentioned, but District officials sent out an email further describing their stance. They concluded that banning LGBTQ stickers and cards is not intended to discriminate, but rather to prevent discrimination as the schools are supposed to make all of their classrooms safe places for each and every student regardless of their identity. The response has been mixed, some former students are upset by the ban, while plenty of parents agree that schools should be inclusive in their goals to provide safe learning environments for all students without placing emphasis on divisive associations.
