Emails show that the club sponsor of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club at Montford Middle School advised a teacher that they were not obligated to share information from students related to gender/sexuality issues with their parents.
Stacy Thompson, the media specialist at Montford and GSA sponsor, was asked a question by a teacher after Thompson sought out volunteers to post “Safe Place” flags in Montford classrooms.
The teacher responded to Ms. Thompson’s request:
“I am 100% a safe person, and I will get a flag…..but I do have a question. Because it has been in the public conversation lately…..if a student shares something with me, am I obligated to inform the parent?” (Emphasis added)
Ms. Thompson followed up with her view of the teacher’s responsibility:
“No. I think there are privacy laws protecting the student. Obviously if it is self harming, yes. But questions about sexuality and choosing different pronouns, no. I think slide 2 has a link that explains some about that. I appreciate you asking.”
Another email from Camilia Wilson, a reading teacher who is helping with GSA club, informed teachers that being a “Safe Place” also required that teachers not to “out students” to their parents.
Wilson wrote in an email to Ms. Thompson,
“Then, for staff, inform them of what it ultimately means to have one of these “Safe Space” signs, perhaps including tips for HOW to have these conversations (listen…), what to do (don’t out students to their parents, only REPORT if they indicate that they are self harming or have suicidal thoughts), and highlighting the importance and the RESPONSIBILITY that we have as educators to be supportive of these students.” (Emphasis added)
TR has previously written about Leon County middle school officials who interviewed a student and developed a gender transition plan without notifying the student’s parents. The plan also included a strategy to hide the situation from the parents during school related communications.
Montford Middle School Teachers Encouraged Not to Share Conversations on Gender Issues with Parents added by Steve Stewart on
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Steve:
I would be happy to call and speak with you about your article and its inherent problems, and I almost just did. However, I would need assurance that I’m not going to see a new post an hour later that claims ” BREAKING NEWS! __(my name)_ defends liberal agenda to turn all your kids GAY!!!” (That’s the kind of comment already appearing on your article, by the way, because that represents the readership to which you pander.)
It’s no secret that many parents are overly-litigious. “You gave my child a D? I’m suing!” It is a very usual and normal matter of course for teachers and schoolboards to clarify policy, especially on recent hot-button issues. Teachers do worry: “If I call this parent and tell them that their kid is talking about gender identity issues, am I violating privacy policies? Will I get in trouble? If I DON’T tell the parent, will they find out later and sue me? What do I do?”
I see that you’ve linked to your previous article about LCS trying to clarify and establish these policies on what is an arising issue. However, you’ve intentionally sensationalized it to imply that LCS is actively seeking out to hide things from parents and to encourage children to change their genders. That is a dishonest representation of the facts, and I think you know it. But your job is to get clicks, and as I said before, you know your readership.
I also noticed that, in the linked article, you offered not to publish the names of the complaining parents, in order to protect their child. Well, you had no problem publishing Stacy’s name. She has kids, too. She is a wife and mother. She has a career. She is a caring and competent teacher. Hell, I think she won Teacher of the Year once. And the ONLY THING she did here was discuss and clarify EXISTING policy.
***But you don’t care about that. You wanted to give a name and face to this issue, so you could throw a tasty morsel to your salivating readership. Already in the comments, people are demanding she lose her job, or even threatening that she get her ass “beat”. YOU CHOSE to use her as a scapegoat for a non-issue, because you know it whips up your readers. What you have done with this article — and what TR has done with so many others similar — is engage in salacious yellow journalism and political pandering under the guise of “reporting the news.” This isn’t a legitimate new site; this is a blog playing dress-up.
Your comments are full of misinformation and exaggerations. If you want to talk give me call. I have always respected confidential discussions with people that seek engagement over a controversial topic.
Thanks
Steve S.
To the writers and editors of Tallahassee Reports:
Nothing about this incident is newsworthy. It is factual and accurate that no laws or policies require teachers to report a student’s comments about their sexual orientation.
However, you chose to spin this as a massive scandal and imply some sort of mass indoctrination, despite this being about a simple e-mail exchange clarifying policy and discussing ideas. You do this on purpose because you know your base readership, and you know what gets you clicks.
You don’t care about the teacher who you are putting in danger, or her family. People are on here demanding to have her fired, or even wishing that she would be assaulted.
YOU caused this.
This is yellow journalism, and you all should be deeply embarrassed of your “news” site.
My phone number is 850-766-6208. If you would like to discuss this issue feel free to give me a call. The article resulted in a directive from the school district related to this issue. Steve Stewart
What’s the issue?? Everything they discussed is FACT. Teachers are not technically or legally required to run and tell a parent about their kid’s sexual identity ponderings.
Furthermore, I’ve worked with Stacey before, and she’s an incredible teacher.
This whole thing is bizarre. Part of a conversation between teachers was singled out and completely spun-up into a controversy.
Even worse, people are in the comments wishing violence and firing upon teachers JUST for clarifying sh*t that is factual and legal. What is the matter with you ignorant hillbillies?
Lewis Blessing is an extremely poor excuse for an administrator. While he sits in his stately office with his tv tuned in to CNN and ESPN along with his historical reading material, his teachers work each day with very little guidance and direction. He is to blame, not Ms. Thompson, for creating this chaos. While he acts like he is a king, others under him do all of his work. If he is such an effective administrator, then move him to a school where he can be of assistance, for example, one of our Title One schools. If not, either can him, or send him to the principals prison at the District office- just like April Knight. It is time that he be replaced with an administrator who REALLY cares about kids. LCS is riddled with corrupt leadership!!
These are children! Parents are their guardians and are responsible for them until they become adults. These children hopefully have shared their confusion with their parents but if they haven’t and the school finds out these psychological issues, the parents have a right to know! If I had school age children, they certainly would be in private school withal of the anti-parental rights and liberal curriculum being advanced in the public schools.
New front on the culture war front…..spread misinformation and generate anxiety and more January 6ths….shameful rag the TR
Obviously people here never watched Sex Education on Netflix.
My daughter attended Montford ……..if I had had any idea such junk was being processed thru the curriculum ,I would have been front and center in the school boards face (AND the Supt ) …………………….THEY work for us , not the other way around…………confront them head on and refuse to be shut down by anyone !! AND tell these reps of minority groups to go pound sand , stick with their own kind and leave the rest of us the heck alone !!
First, this issue should not be discussed as a public matter at all. Second, no parent should ever be left unaware that his pre-teen or teen struggles with gender identity–or any other emotional problem that could affect self-image, behavior, and academic success. Parents MUST know of such struggles in order to help their children. The school’s ONLY ROLE is to help parent and child begin a dialogue. After that, parents have sway, and how they handle the emotional distress is their business and their business alone, with the only exception being the potential–if known–for abuse. Schools function at the behest of taxpaying parents. Parents give their children to public educators in a sacred trust. Failing to facilitate communication between parent and child fails both.
Parents should attend en mass at the next several school board meetings and talk about these policies at Montford to undermine the sanctity of a family. Teachers and administrators should be fired. Lastly, what’s happening at other school? Are transgender boys allowed to go in girl bathroom and locker room. Start the discussion! Have your objections heard!
I have been seeing this a lot lately, not just in Tallahassee. What I would like to know is, Where were these Teachers 3 Years ago? Are these the same Teachers or are these NEW Teachers bring this stuff into the Schools? I just don’t remember these Issues being in the Class Rooms 3, 5, 10 Years ago.
A public school teacher on my street has displayed a sign in her yard that reads: “Honk and wave, a teacher lives here.”
I have never heard anyone honk or seen anyone wave in two years…
The ten negatives responses are proof that the club is needed. If the children are hearing these comments from parents, we now know how important the need to listen is. It is difficult to believe the ten comments posted came from parents with young children. My hope in the future parents will be willing to accept and love their children as they are.
@Barb, I have news for you, unless you are referring to a private or charter school that is not religious affiliated, they have liberal stuff like this in town. When you get to college, you will have things like this no matter where you look, including institutions like Notre Dame and BYU. So if you want to escape this little distraction, I guess everyone should move to a place like Saudi Arabia or some other tight grip nation. They encourage close minded obedience and something like this is certainly a no go.
2nd, shame on anyone at Montford for using email to communicate this. It is all public record once they do. Pick up the phone and handle the situation unless you want it plastered all over the news.
I support Teachers and Ms. Thompson trying to be a listening ear for the students. From comments printed from presumably parents, it’s obvious why students went to Ms. Thompson in the first place. If students are hearing the rhetoric coming from parents complaining, it’s obvious the students are hurting and need adults to listen to them. Criticizing Ms. Thompson in public will hurt your children and only God can save them from such hurtful parents.
This is one of the many reasons we Homeschool.
Teachers and Staff should NEVER be talking to Students about LGBTQ+ Issues unless that Student comes to them First and ONLY THEN.
I thought middle school was a safe space. This is an outrage to indulge mental disorder or worse. And a teacher is responsible for outing anything illegal or beyond normal to the parents, at least.
This is what happens when the un-Godly and immoral infiltrate government. Transgenderism is a mental problem.
Law suits will only make corrupt bar members richer. Send a constitutional notice to the board, supervisor and the principal showing where they are violating the constitution. If they don’t stop you follow up with a sworn affidavit demanding that they counter your affidavit with a sworn affidavit showing where they have the power to violate your rights. You add a clause that if they fail to respond in 10 days they agree by acquiescence and it can be use as evidence in arbitration or any court of record.
9 times out of 10 they will correct their errors once it is shown to them under penalty of law that they are violating said law.
Pasco County parents would love to join this fight! Our schools are brainwashing our kids with the Trans cult.
Where is the Supt. / School Board? They are responsible for employee behavior. Are these teacher sponsors using these clubs in conjunction with adult clubs outside of school? Are these clubs being used in recruiting efforts? Needs further investigation.
Public schools, using my tax dollars, have no business promoting this sick perversion.
Especially in a middle school.
All involved need to be fired immediately – to send a message.
Bill Montford should ask to have his name removed from the skrewel.
Rename it RuPaul Middle School.
Ms. Thompson says, “I think there are privacy laws protecting the student.” I think not.
Specifically, what laws, Ms. Thompson? What laws are there that state that school employees are presumed to be safer guardians of children than their parents? We do not live under Marxist rule and we are not going to live under Marxist rule.
This is, at the heart of it, an attack on Judeo/Christian beliefs. Not only is GSA in opposition to these beliefs on sexuality but it is also in opposition to Judeo/Christian beliefs on parental rights and the proper role of government.
Judeo/Christian beliefs are what this country was founded upon and made great upon.
Parents, flee the traditional public school system as you would a plague. Enroll your children in a charter school, private school or homeschool program.
Unbelievably over the top insanity. The damage these reprobates are doing to our children is unforgivable. They are demented, depraved, and evil… and there’s no getting around that anymore.
DEFUND THE PUBLIC INDOCTRINATION SYSTEM !
Lewis Blessing & Stacy Thompson need to be terminated for LCS asap.
This situation has “class action law suit” written all over it.
Parents of Montford students band together and teach these lefty pervs a lesson. And BTW get paid at the same time. These lefty pervs need to be stopped.
I predict that there will be some Teachers getting their Arses beat………..and it will be warranted.