A group of high school students in Auburn, Alabama have been petitioning for the removal of a gay pride flag that has been hanging in the classroom of Mrs. Donna Yeager, a social studies teacher at the school. Besides teaching social studies, Mrs. Yeager also coordinates a club at Auburn High School called EDUCATE. The main focus of the gay-straight alliance group is to promote diversity and inclusivity.
The students that want the flag removed are using the same argument that has been effective in the removal of Confederate flags from college campuses and other public buildings. According to Andrew Monk, who filed the petition, the flag should be removed because, “it creates a hostile and provocative learning environment for students not comfortable to openly supporting the LGBTQ+ community in a public school where students come from diverse political and religious backgrounds. Furthermore, we believe it is unprofessional and distracting for a teacher to be so openly displaying their political views in an unbiased and socially neutral public setting.”
So far, over 4,000 supporters have signed the petition. The original goal was to get 5,000 signatures.
The petition makes it clear that just because someone signs their name, it doesn’t mean they have an issue with the teacher for supporting the LGBT community. The issue is that the teacher is acting in an unprofessional manner knowing that there are many polarizing views regarding LGBT rights. Many students and parents feel the classroom should be a place of neutrality so that education isn’t hampered by a teacher’s political views.
The petitioners also feel that if the teacher were to display a Confederate flag, or a Christian flag in the classroom, the backlash would be immediate. Besides that, both parents and students who are against hanging a gay pride flag in the classroom feel that it’s not promoting diversity and inclusiveness, instead it is planting seeds of division.
The petition concludes with, “The signers of this petition ask that the Pride Flag be removed from Auburn High School in order to preserve a welcoming, beneficial, and unbiased learning environment for students from all political backgrounds attending Auburn High School.”
Shortly after the petition protesting the gay pride flag began making its rounds, Brandon Sinniger, another student at the school filed a counter petition. His petition has garnered over 7,000 signatures. His petition states, “In the real world, to suggest individuals be isolated from differing political views is an absurdity. To be made uncomfortable by opinions differing to your own is to function as a modern human. Attempting to insulate a student from political discourse would be an insult to their intelligence.”
Sinniger feels confident the flag will stay where it is. “I have talked personally with the signer of the original petition, but basically, this is where we stand right now, and unless something drastic happens, which I doubt, the flag is going to stay up, and I’m glad that it is,” he says.
Some parents, like Daisy Griffin, agree with Sinniger. She feels that displaying the LGBT pride flag helps to create a “safe space” at the school for youth in the LGBT community. “I was very happy, very pleased that Auburn High School was creating these safe spaces and allowing for representation,” says Griffin.
Shannon Pignato, the principal at Auburn High School has stated she is aware of what is happening in the classroom and also knows about both of the petitions.
According to Dr. Karen DeLano, superintendent of the Auburn school system, everything is being handled internally. “In our country today, people are often seen addressing their objections through violence and hate. It is my sincere desire to assist our students in learning to address their opinions and their values in a calm and respectful manner,” says DeLano.
She has also stated, “As a school system, we are obliged to enforce federal and state regulations and laws, and we do have freedom of speech. We are looking at this matter from all aspects and would hope that everybody would handle this in a manner that we can deal with it in a way that we can move on and have orderly classroom learning going on.”
Maybe the supporters of the initial petition should just go ahead and bring their own Christian flags to school. If the school really wants to promote and celebrate diversity and inclusivity, then it should certainly be allowed.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
