Parents spar over bulletin board with Pride symbols in Manhattan District 114 in Will County
Nearly 100 parents and residents packed a Manhattan Elementary District 114 Board meeting Wednesday to express their thoughts on a bulletin board that sparked controversy in December for its display of hearts and LGBTQ symbols.
Justin Benard, who has three children in the district, said “it is grossly irresponsible” for a school district to allow teachers to put up displays of social and political ideologies. Benard, who was one of 85 people who signed up to speak during public comment, said sexual identity and orientation should be discussed at home by parents.
“A neutral environment must be maintained for all,” Benard said. “Teachers are in a position of power and their bias could easily influence children.”
Kate Galgan said research has shown transgender and LGBTQ youth face high rates of self-harm and suicide, and they need a safe space in schools.
“Having one adult that makes them feel supported and validated can save lives,” Galgan said. “A teacher that creates a safe and inclusive environment for children to learn, thrive and navigate societal constructs is a teacher that needs to be celebrated, not demonized by inaccurate propaganda.”
The bulletin board at Wilson Creek Elementary School, the preschool through second grade school where the meeting was held, has 12 hearts on it, two that read “open hearts” and “open minds” and 10 hearts with different colors. The display includes one heart with a rainbow design and a design with a white stripe and pink and blue stripes on both sides.
A rainbow flag is a symbol of the LGBTQ community, while the transgender pride flag has a white stripe with light pink and blue stripes on either side.
Superintendent Russell Ragon said the bulletin board was put up in August, and he confirmed via email Thursday it remains up.
“It is the teacher’s decision at this point, how she chooses to decorate the bulletin outside her classroom,” Ragon wrote.
A photo of the bulletin board was posted on social media in December, generating attention from the community. Chris Ruddy, the district’s director of human resources and communications, told the board Wednesday officials received varied responses.
“Some expressed support of the bulletin board seeing it as symbol of acceptance of diversity, while others requested its removal viewing the hearts as representations of possible sexual content,” Ruddy said.
The school district has not adopted the national sex education standard and isn’t part of the district’s curriculum, Ruddy said.
“This allows for our parents and families to determine the content that they wish to teach, or not to teach, at home that best fits their needs. We scrutinized our existing school board policies but found no guidance in addressing an issue of this nature,” Ruddy said.
Gabriella Barraco, who has children in the district, quoted parts of a speech by Theodore Roosevelt to soldiers ahead of battle before asking why the transgender flag is still on the bulletin board if sex education isn’t taught in the schools.
“I bet that most of our children or us didn’t know what the transgender heart looked like before tonight,” Barraco said. “Yet its symbolism is being stamped visually into the subconscious from the very hallway.”
Lisa Giammona, who has three daughters in the district, said she is a teacher so she understands having to look at situations as a parent and as a teacher. Giammona said most teachers don’t want to discuss sexual orientation and identity with their students.
Giammona said she showed the picture of the bulletin board to her fourth grade daughter and asked her to explain what she saw. She said her daughter responded the bulletin board means to accept everyone.
Her daughter said the rainbow heart meant to accept people who love different people than she does, Giammona said. Her daughter wasn’t immediately aware of what the blue, pink and white heart represented, Giammona said, so they discussed it.
“I had that conversation because I don’t want that conversation to be had in school or to have to be had in school because it’s not the teacher’s job to do that,” she said.
But she said it is the teacher’s job to teach acceptance and inclusivity.
“If we can put up a bulletin board that makes one child feel safe when they didn’t feel safe before ... please, I implore you to do that,” Giammona said.
Bridget Hope, a teacher and sponsor of the Gay Straight Alliance at Lockport Township High School District 205, said the pride symbols help LGBTQ students feel safe and seen.
“That’s all that it does, it’s just a reminder that it’s OK to be you,” Hope said. “Thank you to all the teachers here at the school who are willing to put themselves on the line to let other students know that they are included regardless of their color, regardless of their identity.”
Jason Sommerfeld, who has two children who attend Wilson Creek School, said the students shouldn’t be exposed to Pride symbols in school.
“What we don’t want is one or two teachers to think it’s their duty or job to tell the kids their beliefs around sexuality and confuse these kids while they’re just developing,” Sommerfeld said.
Ruddy said the board reviewed options the district’s attorney proposed during a closed session about what action, if any, the board should take.
Ragon said the board will review policies that apply to posting information throughout the district and have any recommended changes reviewed by attorneys before the whole board considers potential changes.
Ragon would not say why the board held the discussion behind closed doors, except to note the motion citing employment, compensation, evaluation and/or dismissal of personnel, litigation, risk management and review of closed session minutes as exceptions to the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
“We respect all view points,” Ruddy said. “As our community grows, we continue to promote diversity, equity and inclusion while prohibiting the addressing, discussing or instructing on gender identity, sexual orientation or political opinion within our curriculum.”
