Group asks Big Walnut school board to rescind LGBTQIA+ flag ban

A group of parents, church, community leaders and others has submitted a letter asking the Big Walnut school board to rescind its ban on LGBTQIA+ pride flags.

The letter from the group Action Tomorrow, dated Monday, says that the ban the board adopted in December is unconstitutional and unethical, and its consequences are detrimental to students' academic performance and well-being.

"Every Big Walnut student is entitled to psychological safety — a learning environment where they feel valued and affirmed — regardless of orientation, gender identity, or any aspect of their personhood," the letter states. "The presence of pride flags signals acceptance and belonging. Their prohibition in Big Walnut schools will establish structures of discrimination that encourage and normalize the overt marginalization of targeted students.

"Stop demonizing affirming educators. Begin to model and live as examples of kindness and respect owed to every human being — to every Big Walnut student," it says.

The letter was signed by close to 250 people, including gay pride advocates, clergy members, academics, former Big Walnut school board members, current and retired educators, parents and former students.

"Everybody was thrilled to be on board," Ryan Wynia, cofounder of Action for Tomorrow and a Big Walnut parent of three who spoke against the pride flag ban at the December school board meeting, said of those who signed. Names on the letter include Amy Orwig, the Great Lakes regional director of PFLAG National (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians And Gays), and Karl Gebhardt, former chairman of the Delaware County Republican Party and Action for Tomorrow co-founder.

"It was really kind of a concentric circle kind of thing, gathering support," Wynia said.

Gebhardt said that he believes that he doesn't know that the flags were creating that big of an issue.

"The schools have become a little bit too much of a political battleground on both sides of the equation," Gebhardt said.

"We have a lot of other issues we need to be dealing with," he said.

But Gebhardt said students need to learn how to interact with different people and interests.

The Big Walnut school board meets Monday night. Big Walnut spokesman Geoff Peterfy said in an email on Monday that Superintendent Ryan McLane has been in meetings all morning, and that he has not had a chance to discuss the Action for Tomorrow letter with him.

"At this time, we will not be making any official comment," Peterfy said.

The board on Dec. 14 voted 3-2 to restrict which flags could be displayed in Big Walnut classrooms, including LGBTQ+ flags, after they were displayed in classrooms.

According to the resolution, these flags are allowed:

• The current U.S. and Ohio flags.

• The current Big Walnut School flag or mascot.

• Displays used in the classroom as part of a temporary unit of study within the curriculum.

• Displays that recognize achievement and are approved by the superintendent as to the content and location of the display.

• Ohio High School Athletic Association or similar sports tournament displays, approved advertising, including a visiting schools’ current flags, mascot, banners, etc., recognizing the participation or accomplishment of a school team or student.

• Displays from the branches of the United States military, colleges and universities may be placed in approved locations.

• Flags of countries representing foreign exchange students may be placed in approved locations by building administrators.

• Fliers, notices, and club invitations shall be placed only on bulletin boards approved by building administrators, and no larger than 8.5” x 11".

Former board member Todd Smith and current member Stephen Fujii voted against the measure. Board member Alice Nicks, who proposed the original resolution, board President Doug Crowl and member Angela Graziosi voted for it.

Smith is one of the signers of Monday's letter.

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

McLane had said the school district's legal counsel recommended not adopting the resolution.

On Dec. 20, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sent a letter asking the Big Walnut board to rescind its ban, calling it unconstitutional and "vague to the point of incoherence," with unclear language about what it specifically allows or doesn't allow.

mferench@dispatch.com

@MarkFerenchik

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Group asks Big Walnut school board to rescind LGBTQIA+ flag ban