For LGBTQ+ students, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in schools are a lifeline. So I recently reconnected via email with a former student named Mason and asked him a few questions about our time together at the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, which I sponsor. “GSA has given me a sense of community with people who have gone through similar experiences as me,” he told me.
Affinity groups like Gender and Sexuality Alliances build community, form the foundation of a positive school climate, and contribute to academic achievement. When students feel like they belong, they can take the academic risks necessary to engage in meaningful learning.
I started teaching in 2019 and was filled with enthusiasm to decorate my first classroom. I diligently arranged my desk into a welcoming group, carefully organized my supplies, and raised my pride flag with a sense of purpose. My teacher preparation program emphasized the importance of building classroom communities that are inclusive and reflective of diverse students. Motivated by these values and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I strived to create a space that celebrates diversity.
Student responses to my efforts were overwhelmingly positive. However, as the first weeks of the school year progressed, the Pride flag sparked protests from a vocal minority of local residents.
The incident came under intense scrutiny from school district administration, and the investigation ultimately continued into the third quarter of the school year. Despite this discouraging response, I was not deterred from building an inclusive learning environment. As a result, a letter was left authorizing the display of pride flags in classrooms.
I took a stand because representation is important to students like Mason. He wrote to me: [pride] Especially since it was the only flag [one] It is displayed inside the school. ” This experience has shown that despite significant resources being invested in Colorado's DEI efforts, a pervasive tendency to maintain “order” can undermine his DEI efforts in the long run. I have come to realize that there are many things that are covered up.
My story is not an isolated one. Similar discussions are ongoing in states such as Connecticut, Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee as part of a broader movement to banish DEI from schools. Tactics include anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ policies, banning books, and opposition to “woke” curriculum.
In Colorado, this growing resistance is highlighted by a recent lawsuit against Denver Public Schools over the “Straight Pride” flag. Courts can dismiss lawsuits, but Colorado's local control system says local residents, district administrators and school boards have the final say.
Against this backdrop, community support for DEI initiatives is needed now more than ever. This starts with a public appreciation of the complex nature of oppression and the liberating power of a strong school DEI culture that helps students become their most authentic selves.
Dr. Iris Marion Young, a prominent scholar in the field of political science, argues that justice depends not only on the fair distribution of social benefits, but also on whether people enable or prevent access to these benefits. He also argued that it would also be affected. Institutional disturbances manifest through various forms of oppression and domination, including exploitation, marginalization, disempowerment, cultural imperialism, and violence.
The Pride flag is a symbol of liberation, recognition, inclusion, and support for the LGBTQ+ community in the face of historical and ongoing forms of oppression. This flag demonstrates the institution's commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for all students, especially those from marginalized communities.
In contrast, straight people are not oppressed because of their sexuality, so the concept of a straight pride flag misunderstands the purpose of these symbols.
Mason, who is currently in high school, said it would be offensive to fly a straight pride flag. “You're comparing one group of people who have next to no hatred for who they are with another group of people who face violence on a daily basis.”
Based on Young's concept of justice and oppression, having a straight Pride flag next to a Pride flag undermines the very institutional conditions necessary for LGBTQ+ students to feel safe and supported in school. become. Instead of promoting inclusivity, it creates a false equivalency between the historical and systemic oppression faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and the experiences of straight men who benefit from dominant cultural norms. It would suggest sex.
Support for the LGBTQ+ flag in schools is a symbolic step toward correcting injustice and promoting a more inclusive and supportive environment, but more needs to be done.
School districts must explicitly enshrine DEI language in their policies while funding efforts to create safe spaces for their most vulnerable students. DEI professional development must include educators in classrooms, central government, and school boards alike.
True allyship goes beyond well-expressed mission statements and requires concrete protection of teachers and students from those who seek to subvert efforts to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments.
Amanda Escheman is a 7th and 8th grade humanities teacher and sponsor of the Cherry Creek School District's Gay Straight Alliance at Challenge School in Aurora. She is a 2023-24 Teach Plus Colorado Policy Fellow.
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Story type: Opinion
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