Missouri teacher who displayed Pride Flag resigns after parent complains

[Stevicus]

I don't really see that the issue is so much with the flag itself. I mean, if the school rules say "no flags," then so be it (as long as they treat all flags equally, except for the U.S. and state flag, which might still be allowed).

But what struck me about it was the reference to a parent who believed that the flag could teach children to become gay.

 

[Subduction Zone]

That's how a lot of conservative Christians want it. Straight couples are ok to have pictures of their spouse and talk about their families but then want gay couples to shut up about it and show no pictures and make no references to it.

It ain't 1950 anymore.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I don't really see that the issue is so much with the flag itself. I mean, if the school rules say "no flags," then so be it (as long as they treat all flags equally, except for the U.S. and state flag, which might still be allowed).

But what struck me about it was the reference to a parent who believed that the flag could teach children to become gay.

I loved that one, it was in my first post here. I hope no one took me seriously.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Missouri Teacher Who Displayed Pride Flag Resigns After Parent Complains (insider.com)







Wow, it's almost like the whole country is going backwards.

The teacher filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.

My kids school has one out the front, alongside the state flag and Aboriginal flag. That sends a pretty clear message on what the school stands for, I guess, and gives people the option to vote with their feet if that isn't right for them.

 

[Wildswanderer]

He has started a lawsuit, and it very easily could go badly for the school district:

“The problem I have with it, obviously, is that it’s specific to me, and as an openly gay man that seems a bit discriminatory because if you’re a straight teacher, you can talk about your spouse, your kids, you can have a picture of your family in the classroom, but I have a flag and then all of a sudden there’s a problem. You know, it didn’t make any sense,” Wallis said.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article254077203.html

If they are treating gay people and straight people differently in this aspect they could be in trouble since the school allegedly forced him to sign a statement that he would not discuss his sexuality.. If they do not treat straight people the same I predict a loss.

So is some teacher putting up straight pride flags? Why is your sexuality something to display in the classroom?

 

[Rival]

The problem I see is that the LGBT flag represents a political position, a liberal position that's generally associated with leftist political parties and is itself a political statement. State run institutions, such as the police and NHS should not be partisan in any way. Acceptance of gay people isn't the issue, it's the LGBT movement and what it's associated with - nowadays that also includes anti-capitalism, pro-communism and so on. It's not a neutral position that's just 'acceptance'. Many gays and trans folk do not associated with it at all. It's a very specific political group.

 

[epronovost]

Because it's a political flag. A straight pride flag would be equally inappropriate.

Yes, a policy that's enshrined in US Supreme Court decision and in the Bill of Rights. Why shouldn't a public school, which is an organ of the US government, not display a flag that supports a policy enshrined in the US government constitution and upheld by its highest court? How is this different than a civic flag (which is political btw) or a flag displayed?

 

[epronovost]

The problem I see is that the LGBT flag represents a political position, a liberal position that's generally associated with leftist political parties and is itself a political statement. State run institutions, such as the police and NHS should not be partisan in any way. Acceptance of gay people isn't the issue, it's the LGBT movement and what it's associated with - nowadays that also includes anti-capitalism, pro-communism and so on. It's not a neutral position that's just 'acceptance'. Many gays and trans folk do not associated with it at all. It's a very specific political group.

Citation please

 

[Subduction Zone]

So is some teacher putting up straight pride flags? Why is your sexuality something to display in the classroom?

It appears that they put up pictures of themselves and their spouses. That is putting one's sexuality on display in the classroom.

Tell me, why should gay people be treated any differently from others? There is no legal way that one can restrict them and in conservative states they may could easily qualify as a protected class

3. Who is protected from employment discrimination? | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

 

[Stevicus]

Reading the comments about flags and schools, I just recalled that when I was 2nd or 3rd grade (around '71/'72), there was a chart at my school which showed all the flags of the world. It was so old that the flag for Germany was still the Nazi flag.

 

[Wildswanderer]

It appears that they put up pictures of themselves and their spouses. That is putting one's sexuality on display in the classroom

Get real.
He didn't put up a picture of him and his boyfriend. He put up a flag indicating pride in his sexual preferences.
Again, do other teachers put up signs that say: " Proud to be straight!"?
I seriously doubt it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yes, a policy that's enshrined in US Supreme Court decision and in the Bill of Rights. Why shouldn't a public school, which is an organ of the US government, not display a flag that supports a policy enshrined in the US government constitution and upheld by its highest court. How is this different than a civic flag (which is political btw) or a flag displayed?

Again, because it's a partisan political flag, like if it were a Trump or Biden flag instead. Should that be allowed, to you? Not everyone supports homosexuality or transgender stuff and their rights are also protected under the Constitution. Basically, just keep political stuff out of the schools unless it's part of the curriculum and presented in an objective fashion with debate allowed (where appropriate), and don't push sexual or gender identity stuff on kids at school.

 

[epronovost]

The problem is that they shouldn't feel unsafe in the first place and shouldn't need flags to make them feel safe. I never felt unsafe being an open bisexual at school and I wasn't. So this is clearly another issue, I think.

You can't "wish problems away". If people don't feel safe being members of the LGBTQ community inside your establishment, and some will, then it makes sense to reassure those students by displaying clear, unequivocal, signs of supports. This is doubly important since schools have a mandate to educate students about sexuality and relationship.

 

[Rival]

Citation please

For what? Anyone familiar with this knows there are now hundreds of gays and others disassociating from the LGBT movement; there are trans people who wonder just what they have to do with gay people; there are people like me who are bisexual who don't agree with that movement.

These guys About - LGB Alliance have broken off from the LGBT movement.

It's not 'the' movement for the gays. It doesn't represent me. Not all gays want gay marriage, not all trans people want unisex bathrooms. The LGBT movement is an extremist movement that no longer represents many average gay and trans people.

A gay man was called a homophobe and beaten up for his t-shirt, which literally supported gay rights, at a pride parade: Man 'evicted' from Manchester Pride protest after crowds turn on him over 'hateful' shirt - Manchester Evening News

No, this is not just a straight up 'all gays' movement.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Get real.
He didn't put up a picture of him and his boyfriend. He put up a flag indicating pride in his sexual preferences.
Again, do other teachers put up signs that say: " Proud to be straight!"?
I seriously doubt it.

You were the one that made the comment about "Putting one's sexuality on display". And you actually made a bad assumption. Putting a picture of one's spouse, whether opposite sex or same sex, is putting one's sexuality on display. Putting up a Pride Flag is not. It is just a flag. I am straight and could fly a Pride Flag. That would no more turn me into a homosexual than the teacher could teach kids to be homosexuals. It only shows an inclusive attitude and support for the rights of all. What is wrong with that?

 

[epronovost]

Again, because it's a partisan political flag, like if it were a Trump or Biden flag instead. Should that be allowed, to you? Not everyone supports homosexuality or transgender stuff and their rights are also protected under the Constitution. Basically, just keep political stuff out of the schools unless it's part of the curriculum and presented in an objective fashion with debate allowed (where appropriate), and don't push sexual or gender identity stuff on kids at school.

It's not a partisan flag. There is a homosexual Republican Caucus. Republican politicians have supported gay rights and equality of gay people is enshrined in the constitution and upheld in court opinions of all level. It would be like saying that pictures of suffragists or famous members of the Civic Right movement like MLK are political.

 

[Rival]

You can't "wish problems away". If people don't feel safe being members of the LGBTQ community inside your establishment, and some will, then it makes sense to reassure those students by displaying clear, unequivocal, signs of supports. This is doubly important since schools have a mandate to educate students about sexuality and relationship.

Support doesn't need to come from silly flags. It comes from people actually supporting them. Putting a flag up in a classroom isn't going to suddenly change a religious extremist's mind about the issue. It hasn't changed mine and it won't change theirs.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

For what? Anyone familiar with this knows there are now hundreds of gays and other disassociating from the LGBT movement; there are trans people who wonder just what they have to do with gay people; there are people like me who are bisexual who don't agree with that movement.

These guys About - LGB Alliance have broken off from the LGBT movement.

It's not 'the' movement for the gays. It doesn't represent me. Not all gays want gay marriage, not all trans people want unisex bathrooms. The LGBT movement is an extremist movement that no longer represents many average gay people.

A gay man was called a homophobe and beaten up for his t-shirt, which literally supported gay rights, at a pride parade: Man 'evicted' from Manchester Pride protest after crowds turn on him over 'hateful' shirt - Manchester Evening News

No, this is not just a straight up 'all gays' movement.

And it's no secret that I basically despise the transgender "movement" now.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It's not a partisan flag. There is a homosexual Republican Caucus. Republican politicians have supported gay rights and equality of gay people is enshrined in the constitution and upheld in court opinions of all level. It would be like saying that pictures of suffragists or famous members of the Civic Right movement like MLK are political.

I wasn't saying there's no gay Republicans. I'm saying that a teacher putting a Trump or Biden flag up their class would be just as inappropriate as putting up a gay pride flag, or a straight pride flag, as I mentioned before. None of them belong.

 

[epronovost]

For what? Anyone familiar with this knows there are now hundreds of gays and others disassociating from the LGBT movement; there are trans people who wonder just what they have to do with gay people; there are people like me who are bisexual who don't agree with that movement.

These guys About - LGB Alliance have broken off from the LGBT movement.

It's not 'the' movement for the gays. It doesn't represent me. Not all gays want gay marriage, not all trans people want unisex bathrooms. The LGBT movement is an extremist movement that no longer represents many average gay people.

A gay man was called a homophobe and beaten up for his t-shirt, which literally supported gay rights, at a pride parade: Man 'evicted' from Manchester Pride protest after crowds turn on him over 'hateful' shirt - Manchester Evening News

No, this is not just a straight up 'all gays' movement.

Not about that, about the pride flag movement being

Everybody knows the current movement is a coalition of interests that used to be separated and not always in agreement on everything. There always was "uncle Tom" like people in any minority and there always were people in coalition only interested in "their equality" and not that of all people like the infamous "white feather feminists" which were deeply racists and opposed to black women's rights. The gay pride flag isn't used by those smaller group of extremists. Lesbian separatists for example still hold to the Labrys flag.