Big Walnut school board considering ban on LGBTQ+ and other flags, and on mask mandates

The latest example of the culture wars that continue to roil school boards, classrooms, parents and teachers in Greater Columbus and around the country returned to the Big Walnut Local School District Thursday night, where the school board gave first readings on resolutions that would ban LGBTQIA+ flags and others from classrooms, and would prohibit the district from requiring mask mandates for students.

The first resolution said that displays of flags in classrooms will be limited to:

● The United States flag● The Ohio state flag●. U.S. military flags● Flags from other states and other countries

The resolution also says that banners, signs, or symbols "that promote activist causes, or are otherwise deemed controversial," shall not be displayed in classrooms or school buildings.

A standing room-only crowd of around 60 jammed the meeting at Big Walnut's administrative offices in Sunbury in Delaware County. Many held LGBTQIA+ flags while others wore T-shirts, including one with multi-colored letters reading: "NO ONE CAN ERASE YOU!"

Board member Todd Smith trashed the flag proposal, calling them fear that is turning into the absurd.

"The fear is the loss of the ability to control others," he said.

Smith said if all flags others than the ones listed in the ordiance are banned, that means flags saying "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death," or Smokey the Bear promoting fire safety would be out.

He also said the resolution can't single out LGBTQIA+ flags because that would violate federal and state protections.

"It will ruin the district like nothing before because it is so absurd," Smith said of the resolution.

Board member Stephen Fujii said he's not sure why the flag or the mask resolutions are necessary now when the district needs to deal with other issues.

Board member Alice Nicks, who introduced the resolutions, was joined by Board President Doug Crowl and member Angela Graziosi in making statements in favor of the resolution. They indicated that the second reading of the resolutions and final vote could occur on Dec. 14.

Nicks said people reached out to her that certain flags shouldn't be in their faces.

"There's one flag in the United States the represents all of us," Graziosi said.

Crowl said, "Let’s say we have a child who grew up in a household that's very religious." If the flag resolution passes, he said, that child would feel "not condemned" when walking into the classroom — provoking laughter from the audience.

"I don't even know where to begin," said Superintendent Ryan McLane. He said he thought the wording in the flag resolution was vague. Under the proposal, Ohio State University flags would be banned, he noted.

"I assume if I would determine if something is controversial or subjective, am I the final say, or is it going to be appealed?" McLane asked.

Nine speakers at the meeting spoke against the flag resolution. None spoke in favor.

Jennifer Nieset asked why would it be a priority of the board to remove signals to gay students that they were safe.

"We’re tired of the culture wars dominating the energy of our district and school board," she said.

Allison Fagan, a former Big Walnut board member and a psychologist, said her two children, both Big Walnut alums, "are literally gagging at what's going on in the district right now."

"A child needs safe space to talk," Fagan said.

"Stickers, flags, symbols let kids know they’re safe," she said.

Ashley Ryder asked the board how they plan on enforcing the resolution with teachers. "What if they refuse?" Ryder said, asking the board if they would fail to renew contracts of those teachers.

"This is a gross overreach of power," she said. "You're making our LGBTQ students feel marginalized."

Before the meeting began Michael and Linda Wagner took their seats, wearing T-shirts supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. The Wagners, from Galena, had a son and daughter in Big Walnut schools, but even though their children graduated they wanted to show the board where they stood.

The Wagners said that the board is dealing with manufactured issues instead of the district's bus driver shortage and the growth in the burgeoning district, now with 4,350 students.

"I still cheer this on," Linda Wagner said of support for the LGBTQIA+ students. "I want them to be safe. I want them to be happy."

Trisha Hilton, president of the Big Walnut Education Association and a fourth-grade teacher, said the flag resolution excludes students and makes them feel unwelcome.

"That's not why we're here," Hilton said.

The second resolution says that the decision to wear masks to school "should ultimately be left to the discretion of parents or legal guardians, in accordance with their individual beliefs, the guidance of health care professionals, and their evaluation of the best interests of their children."

The proposed resolution cites "an ongoing debate and scientific discourse about the efficacy and potential harm associated with mask mandates," and states that the board "recognizes the importance of parental rights and individual freedoms in making health-related decisions for their children."

The mask resolution cites the Association of American Physicans and Surgeons, a conservative group, which on Sept. 12 issued a statement that the group believes mask mandates do not help to prevent the spread of viruses and violate the right to informed consent.

Smith said the resolution is unnecessary, since there's no pandemic now.

Besides, he added, "Mask mandates were instituted out of respect for one another." Passage of this resolution would limit the board's authority to act in case of another pandemic, he said.

Speaker Luke Slater, who said he was the father of two Big Walnut students, called the mask resolution extremely short-sighted. He said it leaves the school district with few options with another pandemic, and called the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons a political organization that promotes conspiracy theories.

"You're pushing politics over people," Slater said. "I think you’re going to be on the wrong side of history."

Nicks said parents have the right to make decisions for their children.

Asked by The Dispatch after the meeting if she wanted to discuss why she introduced the mask resolution, Nicks said, "No."

Incumbent Fujii and challenger Zach Duffey, a conservative, won the two seats that were up for election on the five-member board in the Nov. 7 general election.

Duffey was featured on a campaign flyer from a political action committee that said he and another candidate were facing two "strongly leftist, pro-union" incumbents in Fujii and Smith, who finished fourth in the vote.

mferench@dispatch.com

@MarkFerenchik

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Big Walnut school board wants to ban LGBTQ+ and other flags