UNION COUNTY, N.C. — On Tuesday, the Union County Public Schools' board discussed a proposal that's now rallied hundreds in opposition.
The board is considering changes to a policy that deals with the selection of instructional material. The proposed changes would alter how books are challenged and what kind of displays can be in classrooms.
The proposal says: "Classroom displays shall be limited to materials which represent the United States, the State of North Carolina, the school name and mascot, and/or are related to the curriculum," but opponents believe it could limit LGBTQ items, including pride flags and books.
An online petition against the changes received more than 860 signatures in just one day.
One petitioner wrote, in part, "My kid goes to [Union County Public Schools] and needs to have a school environment that encourages everyone to be their own person."
"It would be detrimental to our kids not to learn about and empathize with already marginalized groups," another person said.
The district denied WCNC Charlotte's interview request and instead directed WCNC Charlotte to the policy being considered.
It also states instructional material considered inappropriate includes, but is not limited to "sexually explicit or graphic materials."
While it's unclear if the changes will actually limit LGBTQ items, Rebby Kern with advocacy group Equality North Carolina said inclusive content can help students better connect.
"To think critically. To develop respect for each other across lines of difference," Kern said. "And finding basic humanity for their peers, including our own identities around race and religion, class, and gender.”
WCNC Charlotte reached out to every Union County school board member regarding the proposal and did not receive a response either.
The policy in question has been discussed by board members for a few months now. Its critics claim the policy change is a direct attack on some of its students.
"We have been interpreting this as targeting the LGBT community," Sydney Satalino a UCPS high schooler, said about the policy.
Satalino's petition against the policy has about 1,000 signatures as of Tuesday night.
"They’ve been doing this thing to try all year to try to ban the pride flag from schools and ban LGBTQ plus related materials, basically everywhere from the curriculum," Satalino said.
The policy doesn’t mention or ban any particular type of display by name. It only limits the displays to materials that represent the United States, the State of North Carolina, the school’s name, the school mascot, or if it’s related to the curriculum.
"They are using language that has been used to ban LGBT-related content in schools," Satalino said.
At a policy meeting in March, one school board member interpreted the policy to be limited in scope.
"What the policy is trying to address is more permanent type displays in the classroom that this policy is addressing," Gary Sides, a UCPS school board member said. "In other words, if someone wanted to display a certain flag, the entire school year, had nothing to do with the curriculum, that would be addressed by this policy."
Satalino said the language is broad enough to ban LBTQ-related displays.
"If we can't ban the pride flag if we can't ban LGBT stuff, we'll just ban everything that we might find objectionable," Satalino said.
UCPS board member, John Kirkpatrick, questioned at the policy meeting if flags or displays that represented Black Lives Matter if taught in class, would be banned.
"Let's say, a black, red, and green flag dealing with Black History Month, is [it] a flag that cannot be displayed as well?" Kirkpatrick questioned.
The school's general counsel, Michele Morris, said not exactly.
"I think it all depends on the ability to tie it to the curriculum, if it's tied to the curriculum, then it would be appropriate; if it's not tied to the curriculum, then it would not," Morris said.
The policy is also considering a change in what appropriate core instructional materials is. It would add to the policy a line that says, "Content that would be considered inappropriate includes but is not limited to sexually explicit or graphic materials."
Satalino said she plans to continue to organize against the policy.
"Our stories don't deserve to be erased," Satalino said. "We are human."
A Union County School spokesperson told WCNC Charlotte the board of education did not have a statement in response to the petition.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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