Rainbow Flags in School

[roborama]

so at the end of our gsa meeting yesterday, our advisor told us she had something important to talk to us about. see, she has a rainbow flag right below the american flag in her room thats very widely visable.

this flag has been there ever since she got her own classroom (she used to be one of those travelling teachers with the silly cart). one of my friends who graduated last year had given this flag to another teacher that put it up in their room three years ago and when she left my advisor got it and put it up.

well heres the thing, a student of hers complained to the principal about the flag a couple weeks ago and my advisor is just finding out who it was etc. the principal has talked to my advisor and as of right now the flag stays.

this spurred a conversation of how much having a gay-pride flag in a classroom impacts us and it was pretty unanimous that it means a lot to us and its very important to have such a safe space. we also talked about freedom of speech and such regarding such symbols.

our advisor cried (she did on day of silence too; i thing we inspire her from time to time) and said that the comfort and openness it brings to the thirty some odd of us, plus of course the other people who havent said its important and those who couldnt really care, the importance it represents for us vastly outweighs the discomfort of this one student that came forward.

so what do you think? do you think gay-pride symbols should be visable in public high schools? would that afftect you personally if you had a teacher that did that? comments?

[Flyers2011]

I think it'd be really interesting, but I can't think of a lot of schools (around me at least) that would go for it.

My writing teacher had an extremely large rainbow flag that hung from her office for all to see. Whenever she would give directions to her office she would say, "See that one with the huge rainbow flag? That's mine."

She was so proud it was adorable. I loved it lol.

I think it would be awesome if more teachers that were gay were allowed to show their pride, but I doubt a lot of high schools would go for it :/. Maybe in the future? I hope so.

[Daryn]

In my school, a rainbow flag would be unheard of- I'm in an *extremely* conservative school district. I think rainbow flags should be allowed. It's just a nice thing for gay students and supporters to feel like they're in a safe place.

[Fairybread]

I'd love a rainbow pride flag at school! It's be amazing to see any kind of acceptance...

[TheEdend]

Of course and its something that should be implemented in every high school and college.

The rainbow flag might be a bit much for some people, but most Ally programs or safe-zone programs use a plaque or sticker with some sort of LGBT symbol. That way it looks more official and sends out the message.

Maybe you guys could start an Ally Program at your high school? The logistics are a bit tedious to deal with, but its way worth it even if you only have 2-3 other teachers that want to create their rooms to safe-zones.

[Harve]

My school has a country flag raised on the main building, changing every 2 weeks. So a rainbow flag would be nice.

[Holliepop]

Our school doesn't have a flag. But my sociology teacher has a sign that says;

"SOME PEOPLE ARE GAY. GET OVER IT." - it's from Stonewall and it's placed right behind her, so kids see it everytime they look at her in class.

[TheWanderer]

I don't really have much to say about this really, only that "its all or nothing baby." meaning if american flags, country flags, crosses etc can be displayed then why not a rainbow flag. But of course a lot of people don't see it that way.

[Enaithor]

We don't have any flags at all (neither rainbow nor country) but we have some Stonewall posters dotted around college. They were put up for LGBT history month - I think most have been taken down now, but there's definitely still one in the performing arts department (it would be performing arts that still have it wouldn't it :P)

[Hexagon]

I don't get what the big deal is. Yeah, it would be an issue if it were taken down forcibly, but I just don't get what everyone's problem with diversity is.

[Sheyceli]

I think having a rainbow flag would be awesome. I know a lot of the teachers at my high school are supportive of gay people, and I think there is even one who is gay himself. We don't have a GSA though, and I wouldn't know how to go about starting one here. =/

[Aya McCabre]

I would have loved it if my school had done that. Given that they made people take breast cancer ribbons off their uniforms it probably wouldn't have been allowed.

[Sheyceli]

Now that I think about it, I remember that we weren't allowed to wear anything supporting breast cancer because the shirts said "I Heart Boobs", so I don't know...

[RenegadeSappho]

I think that public institutions shouldn't espouse ANY ONE stance on religion or politics, just carry out the purpose they were intended for: schools for academic education, decoration on the outside of public buildings to inspire nationalism, courts to dispense the law as it stands (which WE are the ones to change). But if the Federal Government will insist on making exception for Christian holidays like Christmas (even if only for practical reasons), they should allow ALL religions and stances to have the free speech which they are theoretically obligated to enforce. In our overly-litigious society, people are too easily offended.