Eugene School District 4J community members, students stand against anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments

In response to recent anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments at Eugene School District 4J governing board meetings, several speakers during Wednesday's public meeting voiced support for LGBTQ+ rights and urged the district to continue offering resources and support for queer youth.

The movement was spearheaded by Educational Justice Action Team under the Community Alliance of Lane County.

Indigo Amarys, education justice program coordinator who uses she/her pronouns, said public comment expressing homophobic and transphobic messaging is harmful, but there is no good way to speak against it in the moment.

"If someone says something really outlandish or statements full of misinformation, which is, I feel, what we're seeing, you can't stand up and say 'That's not true,'" Amarys said. "There was no pushback happening. So at a certain point, I was like, 'Alright, well, we kind of need to show up and not let these comments go unchecked.'"

Recent anti-LGBTQ+ actions at Eugene 4J meetings

In an Educational Justice Action Team call to action Amarys sent out to Eugene community members, she referenced public comments from the May 3 and May 17 meetings.

The commenter on May 3, Harry Sanger, who has spoken at many 4J meetings and is a parent, brought up the phrases "Black Lives Matter" and "2SLGBTQIA+," which stands for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and more, saying that while those groups matter, why not "all of God's children matter?"

EJAT stated the Black Lives Matter movement is not the antithesis of the idea that all lives or all students' lives matter and should not be considered a divisive statement.

"There is nothing wrong with the use of expansive and inclusive language," the call to action stated. "We should embrace representative language."

More recently, a group of protesters that referenced a California-based church on its signs gathered outside the 4J Pride Festival at North Eugene High June 2.

The group held signs and were seen yelling at parents and children, denouncing their attendance at the festival. 4J security and Eugene Police prevented them from entering the festival.

Members handed out pamphlets to families that appeared pro-LGBTQ+ on the outside, but inside had harmful language and a graphic image depicting abortion.

"It definitely felt like an inappropriate thing to present to children," said Parker Anderson, who serves as the student advisor to the board, representing North Eugene High. "We're trying to come together as a community and support each other. We are so grateful for the community members and staff who supported the event and are thankful for the support important shown thus far."

Public support for LGBTQ+ youth

The majority of comments at Wednesday's meeting, five of the six, spoke in support of LGBTQ+ youth, asking the board and the district to do the same.

Marion Malcolm, a 4J grandmother and representative of the Community Alliance of Lane County, said both of her grandchildren identify as queer. She asked the board members to express a "commitment to putting kids first," helping kids feel safe and respected, despite potential backlash.

"You may even be saving lives," Malcolm said.

Angie Foster-Lawson, a 4J parent who uses they/them pronouns, said their child attends preschool in the district.

"It is always age-appropriate in our house to be kind and confirming and loving to one another," Foster-Lawson said. "That's what that means to me. And that's what I (want) that supportive work in elementary schools to look like, making sure students know that their families are important just like any other family that comes to school."

Foster-Lawson pointed to anti-trans efforts across the country. In Oregon, there are several bills with anti-trans sentiments, including House Bill 2186, which would limit transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, and Senate Bill 246, which would remove menstrual products from all male-designated public school bathrooms.

However, House Bill 2002 would, among other things, require insurance to cover gender-affirming care.

"Oregon may have some of the strongest legal and policy protections for queer and trans youth, but this does not mean that they're not harmed every day in our schools due to hateful comments, unchecked bias and lack of resources available to us," Foster-Lawson said.

The public comment period got heated after one speaker, Cale McCollough, denounced the infamous "sexual fantasy" sex education class assignment from a Churchill High teacher and the pride festival, which he lumped together, calling both grooming.

He also said it was inappropriate to have any education relating to LGBTQ+ identities in schools. After he was finished and leaving the board room, McCollough received a few "boo's," with one attendee calling him a bigot. Tensions were heightened after that.

At the closing of public comment, which was six speakers long due to four speakers who signed up and did not attend, recurring attendee Sanger spoke up from the audience, saying it wasn't fair that more speakers weren't allowed.

4J's board has a 10-person limit on public comments, intended to keep their meeting lengths more manageable. Sanger had spoken out earlier in the meeting as well and was escorted out of the district office.

Amarys told the Register-Guard there was no specific goal for EJAT with the call to action apart from getting community members to speak up and encouraging those who may not normally speak during public comment to voice their beliefs.

"We're just trying to disrupt the narratives that are being spread," Amarys said. "Currently, I don't have a concrete ask, it's just showing up and taking up space, which is pissing people off, which is how you know it's working.

"I feel like we're gonna face a little bit of backlash, which I saw yesterday, so continuing to show up I think is really important."

Eugene 4J board support for LGBTQ+ youth

All five of the present board members spoke in favor of LGBTQ+ youth.

"I hope their messages of disinformation and hate never prevent events like last week's from happening to promote celebration of our LGBTQ2IA friends and family," board member Michelle Hsu said.

"We do not accept that this is a question of ideology; our Two Spirit LGBTQIA+ community members' existence is not up for debate centered in ideology," board chair Maya Rabasa said. "Our 2SLGBTQIA+ students and staff along with their families are valuable members of our community who deserve to feel safe, respected, cared for, welcome and to know without a single doubt that they belong in our schools in our community."

"It was really unfortunate that the protesters were at the main entrance, but I'm really grateful that I don't think this kept any people away," board member Judy Newman said. "Nor did it dampen the accepting and welcoming energy of the event, which you felt when you were inside."

Newman also recognized the history of June Pride Month, which remembers the Stonewall riots of June 1969 that widely kicked off the gay rights movement.

Board member Alicia Hays shared her experience as an LGBTQ+ youth. As a student-teacher, she heard harmful language in the classroom. At the time, she was silent and decided that she couldn't be a teacher if she couldn't speak up in that moment.

"I moved on, and I spent 16 years here, trying to do the best I could," Hays said, referencing the district's gender policies which specifically prohibit harassment based on gender and allowed trans students to use their preferred bathrooms. "I just think we can continue to take a leadership role in our state and in the country on inclusion."

"It's the job of the board to ensure that all students are respected, honored and celebrated," said board member Gordon Lafer, who has a queer child who attends South Eugene High. "We have queer and trans students and staff and students with queer and trans and gender fluid parents and family members in every grade, starting in kindergarten. Every one of those students, staff and family members need to be seen, heard, supported and celebrated by the board and the school community as a whole."

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene 4J students speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments