Emails provided to Tallahassee Reports shows that Equality Florida – an advocacy group for LGBTQ issues – is influencing decisions by Montford Middle School officials related to a controversial campaign to identify classrooms as safe places for certain students.
The emails show a debate among Montford school officials about a request to teachers by the school’s Gay Straight Alliance club coordinator to place safe place flags in classrooms ahead of the October 11th -“Coming Out Day.”
One teacher noted concerns from her colleagues in a September 29th email to Montford Principal Lewis Blessing.
The teacher wrote, “I’m concerned about GSA flags being displayed unless we’re allowing that for all. Is this something that has been approved by you? I’ve gotten some concerns from a few teachers; do you mind following up on this? I’ll return tomorrow but I’m looking into it.”
Another teacher voiced concern on the same day, in a separate email.
The teacher wrote, ” I have concerns. We don’t promote religion in our classrooms. There are many religious groups represented in our schools, but our school is a safe place for people of ALL religions. Therefore, we don’t display Christian flags, the Quran, etc. except for cultural or history lessons. I feel that designating safe places based on lifestyle choices should be treated similarly. I don’t feel it is our place to promote nor disparage lifestyle choices. Our ENTIRE school should be a safe place for ALL, and I fear that flags may build separation and the idea that there are places in our school that are NOT safe for everyone.”
Principal Blessing responded to concerns on September 29th by stating that “I have a call in to Dr. Rodgers to get some more information about this but I believe it is a district supported initiative. It is also not mandatory for any teachers to display the flag. This would be similar to have a pray at the flag pole day. It is optional for anyone that wants to participate but not mandatory for anyone that does not feel comfortable. I will let you know when I hear back from Dr. Rodgers.”
Dr. Kathleen Rodgers is the Assistant Superintendent Equity Officer and Title IX Compliance Coordinator Office of Prevention, Intervention, Equity and Support Services for the Leon County School District.
On October 4th, at the direction of Dr. Rodgers, an email from Equality Florida was sent to all Gay Straight Alliance club sponsors.
The email from Equality Florida addressed in detail the topics listed below:
1) “The Impact of Gender Affirming Spaces for LGBTQ+ Youth”
2) Powerful Youth Blog Post for October’s LGBT History Month,
3) August Federal Ruling/Gavin Grimm Transgender Case, and
4) US DOE’s Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+Harassment in Schools Tool.
TR has previously reported on this topic and was told by Principal Blessing that the campaign had been paused until further review. And on October 5th, Blessing told TR that there was no further update on the issue.
Also, TR inquired about the Leon County School Board district policy regarding social campaigns in middle schools. We have yet to receive a formal response.
Mr. Blessing, The See You At The Pole one time event each year is most definitely NOT the same thing as allowing a Teacher Sponsored Club that was not even brought to the remaining Faculty/Staff’s attention via the typical process, which is through their Site Meeting. I have direct knowledge that this did not happen and the email that happened to get sent out regarding the Safe Space flyer being posted IN Teacher’s classrooms regarding a display of the flag was not evenly originally sent to be put on a Site Meeting Agenda. One only take a look at the flyer listed in another report in TR that describes what s “expected” from any teacher that provides this safe space. Guarantee that this same type of support will then be “expected”, nay “demanded” by all other teachers in their classrooms by confused 12 year olds in the name of support.
The SYATP Alliance specifically states on their website that this is a non-Teacher Sponsor event, it is student led before school, by students, outside of the campus where the flagpole is, before school starts once a year. They do not ask Teachers to post flyers in their classrooms, ask them to ally themselves with Christian students or pray with them or insist that they use different names or identities for them. They most certainly do not discourage Teachers/Staff to keep their student’s prayer lives from their parents.
Both groups have access to daily postings on the schools news announcements and to hallway walls. To expect teacher to provide flyers and flags for “Coming Out” week in their classrooms is not appropriate and is in the very least disruptive & controversial. I realize that there is a law requiring the group to be accommodated, but there are certain requirements that have to be met and I think this group is pushing their agenda in the name of support. Parents, should be made of aware of the proposed formation of groups that deal with such sensitive and important subjects as their child’s exposure to students desiring to being able to express their sexuality, especially at the middle school level.
Let teachers put up Christian flags in their classroom so that Children who follow Christ can have a safe place to go when they feel persecuted. Oh wait…. They don’t need that because they have the strength that God gives them fo persevere through the lack of tolerance the liberals display.
I was for LGBTQ until I found out it didn’t stand for Let’s Get Biden To Quit!
Folks, this is to be expected in the Capital District. The overwhelming number of Capital District voters approve of this when they vote these filthy left-wing cultists into power. These cultists do want to recruit your children, they are open and proud of that fact. They may pretend ignorance when they are caught red-handed, but this is the plan. They want and need to legalize pedophilia. States like Commiefornia have already legalized Pederasty (look It up, you filthy cultists). They need to destroy anything wholesome and good about the nuclear family structure which is the bedrock of any sane civilization. They’re not just mentally ill, they are evil and Satanic in their beliefs and efforts. Do not excuse these vile actions and behaviors in any way by these despicable child abusing Scruel Kommissars, Stupidintendant, filthy enabling principals and teachers.
The pragmatist in me says this initiative will backfire bigtime.
DEFUND THE DANGEROUS PUBLIC INDOCTRINATION SYSTEM
I constantly struggle trying to understand the purpose of the “LQBTQ+RSTUVWXYZ movement” in this country. Is it designed to try to convince the majority of “gender-normal” people to accept them into the “normal” crowd? Are they trying to prove that their life-styles are really the way all people should live? What’s their end-game?
A while back, when I saw the Tallahassee Democrat waste print space on an article about cross-dressers reading stories to little children I knew that there was no hope for Leon County. Unfortunately, we just stepped over the edge.
How much more of this “in-your-face” craziness will the so-called “normal people” tolerate before they rise-up and say enough is enough?
Get rid of the people in charge, vote them out and start vetting candidates BEFORE you cast your votes. Short of that, there’s not much more Joe-average-citizen can do to eliminate this movement..
There should only be one flag in each classroom.
It’s colors are red, white and blue.
And yes, do NOT send your kids to Leon County public skrewels.
Home school/private/charter schools are the ONLY option.
I would also eliminate the school portion on everyones’s property tax bill if they do not have children in county skrewels. Paying for the miseducation of other people’s kids is a tax grab too far.
Does the “Q” in LGBTQ+%$#@! stand for queer? Well then why the heck can’t I say queer?
I know what they are doing…its all about taking away my favorite pejoratives.
P.S. There is no way I would let my child attend a Leon county public school. I wouldn’t let any of the teachers I see waddling into the elementary school in my neighborhood park my car. There is no way I’d give em the keys to my kids. ( I still want to be able to say queer, its a good word.)
What the heck is this doing in our schools? Children are there for college prep, and life prep if one does not choose to attend college.
Social issues are discussed at home, it is not the governments business or responsibility.
Get your noses out of our lives, teach subjects, do not push social agendas on children who’s parents may disagree with them.
Kids have always had an uncanny way to deal with these things, get your adult noses out of their business.
Teach School, period.
Happy Columbus Day!
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 on board his ship the Santa Maria.
Know that the Marxist goals are to:
1) Destroy the nuclear family
2) Destroy Christianity
By implementation of:
1) D & I
2) LGBTQ+, and gender confusion
3) sexualization of children at a very young age
4) normalization of that sexualization
Accomplishing these things will lead to abolition of individuality, nations, private property and the re-writing of history and we are half way there. So, don’t say “its fine and shouldn’t matter if these people want a megaphone right now for their demands, it’s not affecting me personally”.
Mark, you are correct. The homosexual lobby wants the ‘age of consent’ lowered to 12 and is already pushing to have pedophilia deemed a normal sexual practice. These ‘gay/straight’ clubs are for one thing…for the deviants to attempt to promote acceptability of their deviance. A further and faster downhill slide to the bottom.
This is exactly what you should expect to happen in the individual schools when you have elected a slacker to the position of school superintendent.
What you need to elect is a hands on superintendent that the individual schools from principal down to janitor know will show up often and unannounced at any school at any time. One who will pop into any class unannounced to sit in and observe. One who will go into any employee’s file folders and do an on the spot financial or student file review.
What y’all elected is a slacker who likes to mash @55 in his comfy office chair and let the individual schools run like little kingdoms.
This lazy slacker method of administration over the schools protects your slacker superintendent from responsibility when things go wrong like at Montford.
This slacker method of administration protects principals like Blessing as demonstrated by Blessing’s statement that he/she thought the whole subject was “a district supported initiative”.
Hey y’all elected slacker Hanna so why are any of you parents surprised at what comes from electing a slacker?
Everybody try to vote smarter at the next election.
I love Tony’s idea !!!
@ TONY: That is supposed to read “they DO have Good Manners”.
Can we push for “Become a Model Citizen” Agenda in Schools. Model Citizens do NOT get Shot by Police, they do NOT Break Laws, The DO Show Respect for Others and they DO have Good Maneors. SO, lets push for “Become a Model Citizen” Agendas in Schools.
It would be great if schools would focus on education and not pushing a radical agenda. Let’s see to date the communist school board and superintendent want all kids to wear masks, no individuals. Don’t forget the jab kiddos! It’s okay if you can’t read or write since we’re going to tell you what and how to think. Math, not necessary.
I could give a flying __ what or how someone wants to live their life! Why does an organization care how I live my life and raise my kids?
Public schools allowing organizations like the alphabet soup gang to push their lifestyle on our children is way outside of the already blurred lines.
All of the parents that don’t want to rock the woke boat are destined to sink with it.
Religion = Racist
Patriot = Racist
Heterosexual = Racist
Holidays = Racist
Folks, if you have a child or grandchild it is way past time to cut public school loose. Do what you have to do to home school or send them to a private school. It is obvious that with the current school board and superintendent Leon County county schools are beyond fixing and the education of your child or grandchild too important to leave them in the current environment.
Equality Florida is about anything but “equality”. They are among the most hate-filled and non-equality group I’ve ever met. The despise heterosexuals and call us “breeders”. Their goal is to force normal society and culture to view their abnormal, unhealthy, and unnatural lifestyle choice as normal.
And yes, Mark… they do desire to increase their numbers in order to ease their own self-loathing, and gain more political power beyond their Woke Supremacy endeavors.
Protect your children from these maniacal malcontents, and get them the hell out of the Public Indoctrination System as soon as possible.
Can they display the Vatican flag in classrooms? Can they display Trump flags in classrooms? Can they display Don’t Tread on Me flags in classrooms? I bet these flags would make some students feel safer and much more welcome at school.
Will Principal Blessing discuss this with Dr. Rodgers? I don’t see why not. It seems only fair.
Ah yes Steve, the big homosexual agenda is out to convert our little boys and girls. I don’t care who my kids chose to date as long as they treat people nice and get good grades.