What to know about pride flags and BLM flags being removed in Westfield schools – IndyStar

For several weeks, students at Westfield High School have called on their school district to return pride flags, Black Lives Matter signs and more to classrooms after they were removed earlier this school year.

The removal of flags and signs is one more example of how diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have been in the spotlight and criticized by some for months in schools around Central Indiana.

On Tuesday afternoon,students and their supporters will participate in a Walk for Equity to support having pride and BLM flags as well as other symbols of inclusion in the classrooms. The walk includes attending theWestfield Washington school board meeting that starts at 7 p.m. at Westfield Middle School.

Heres what you need to know:

Westfield Washington Superintendent Paul Kaiser has had several meetings with a group of Westfield High School students.

During one meeting over the summer, several students told Kaiser that things like pride flags, BLM flags and other items that are symbols of inclusion were important to them and something they wanted to see more of in classrooms.

Then, at a later meeting after the school year started, Kaiser told the students that anything deemed political or as having an agenda would be removed from classrooms. He said this list includedpride, BLM and Red for Ed.

Students said they told Kaiser that having a symbol of inclusion, such as a flag, sign or sticker that supports their identities whether that's supporting LGBTQ students or students of color, helps them feel valued and comfortable in school.

Those symbols of inclusion are a way to know that teachers affirm students' identities and are someone who will support them and be understanding, students said.

The changes were made on an individual basis with teachers after concerns were expressed to the district, Joshua Andrews, Westfield Washington spokesperson, previously told IndyStar. There is no policy banning the flags and signs currently and one is not in the works, he said.

Andrews said that the superintendent'sapproach was"let'sremove it, and then we can talk about it."

Additionally, the district has stressed that it wants to make sure classrooms are welcoming to all students, noting that it's the same for every student, and said there are ongoing discussions about that topic.Part of thatisdefining what is political and what isn't, Andrews said.

Kaiser told students that if pride flags or BLM flags/stickers were allowed, I would have to allow other forms of expression in the classroom, the superintendent wrote in a Sept. 3 email to staff that was obtained by IndyStar.

I used the extremeexamples of a Nazi flag or a Klan flag with the students. I did not intend to compare the flags of hate with flags that our students and staff support," Kaiser wrote in the email, apologizing for what he said and adding that he apologized to the students too.

Yes.The district is no longer using the terms diversity, equity and inclusion or social-emotional learning.

However, Andrews stressed thatnothing has changed with those efforts in the district, just the terminology. He added that diversity, equity and inclusion and social-emotional learning are thingsKaiser wants to see "embedded in everything we do."

This change was not announced to familiesbut is something that the district hopes families and students will notice the work is embedded in the schools.

The students were surprised with the changes and skeptical about what it means for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts going forward.

They created aChange.org petition toadvocate for keeping symbols of inclusion in classrooms, and in roughly two weeks, there were nearly 1,500 signatures.

Last week, students asked those who supported symbols of inclusion in the classroom to wear red to school on Sept. 8 and they also organized the walk for equity, which starts at 3:50 p.m. Tuesday in Asa Bales Park and includesspeakers, delivering a letter to the administration office and a sit-in at the board meeting.

Additionally,Westfield Parents for Change, an advocacy group that aims to end racism and bigotry in Westfield schools, has supported the students and having symbols of inclusion in classrooms.

Soon-to-be board members of GLSEN Central Indiana organized a "Raise Your Flags" event on Sept. 3 where more than 50 people lined West Hoover Street with BLM and pride flags.

GLSEN is an organization that aims to end harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in K-12 schools. It also works to promote inclusion of LGBTQ students.

Andrews, the district spokesperson, said that at least some of the concerns came from parents, but he didn't have further details.

Unify Westfield, a group that aims to "bring academic excellence back" to Westfield schools and has opposed books that address gender identity in the schools, said the focus in schools shouldn't be on "divisive political and social issues."

In an email to supporters sent Aug. 29, Unifyacknowledged the petition, saying itwas "opposing Dr. Kaisers philosophy that teachers should not display political propaganda in their classrooms (e.g. gay pride flag, BLM flag, etc.).We need to make sure your voices supporting neutrality and academic focus in the classroom are heard."

It's another example of efforts to be inclusive to theLGBTQ community as well as larger diversity, equity and inclusion work being under scrutiny.

In the spring, it was books addressing gender identity in elementary schools that prompted hours of debate about access to the books as well as diversity, equity and inclusion in general during public comments at Westfield school board meetings.

Themarathon public comment sessions were onlypaused when school board president Jimmy Cox said there would be no more comments related to the books and any decisions would wait for the new superintendent.

However, Kaiser has not made an announcement to the community at large about the books. Andrews said there have been no policy changes, however he did say that some books arebehind the counter," but that it's notan entire category of books.

In addition to wearing red to support symbols of inclusion in the classroom, students brought flags to school. That included students with pride and BLM flags as well as other students with Trump flags, causing tensions.

In a message posted to the Westfield High School website, principal Alicia Denniston wrote that the school is supporting the students having "symbols,"except for full-body flags which are a potential safety hazard and are distracting in the classroom.

Students are allotted more freedoms than school personnel when it comes to displaying political and religious symbols of allegiance," she wrote.

She said the only time symbols will be taken from students is when they cause disruptions or are used to harass, ridicule or undermine another.

While there have been a few situations we have addressed, the majority of students have worn these symbols peacefully and without incident," Denniston wrote.

Both Kaiser and Denniston have stressed that they are trying to balance different viewpoints in the community.

The tough part is how tomake sure everyone has a voice and is comfortable in their skin at the school, Denniston wrote in her online message.

At the high school, the principal said she is working with teachers on a sign of support that saysEvery Student Welcome to be displayed in classrooms. The letters in the word "student" will represent the different identities and cultures.

At the district level, Andrews said Monday that the district is still having ongoing conversations on this topic. He added that whenever possible, Kaiser will work with administrators at each school to take a building-level approach as a response.

This topic is not on the agenda for Tuesday's school board meeting and not expected to be discussed by Kaiser or board members. Public comment is allowed only on agenda items.

Call IndyStar education reporter MJ Slaby at 317-447-1586 or email her at mslaby@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mjslaby.

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What to know about pride flags and BLM flags being removed in Westfield schools - IndyStar