A New Jersey school district removed rainbow-colored “Safe Zone” signs hanging outside classrooms at its middle school after parents deemed them non-inclusive.
Washington Township Superintendent Peter Turnamian announced the measure at its board of education meeting on Jan. 3, according to NJ.com.
The square signs, which hung at Long Valley Middle School, resembled the rainbow-striped Pride flag, known to represent the LGBTQ+ community.
They were displayed to illustrate that the rooms were designated safe spaces for its LBTQ+ student body.
However, parents expressed concern over the fact that other groups were not represented, violating the school’s inclusion policies, The Epoch Times reported.
The signs, which were erected in 2019, will be swapped out for ones depicting the school’s panther mascot in an effort to promote respect for all.
The square signs were hung up at Long Valley Middle School. Long Valley Middle School“Ultimately, the advice of legal counsel was to have them come down,” Turnamian said at the meeting, adding that the district received “appropriate criticism” about showing favoritism.
Recently elected school board member John Holly addressed the board in January about its lack of inclusion, saying, “School should be a safe space for all kids, not just some kids.”
In December, a lesbian and gender-queer student at the school expressed her concern to the board.
The signs will be swapped out for ones depicting the school’s mascot, a panther. Washington Live/YouTube“I can say the LGBTQ+ community is constantly bullied and belittled in our school system,” said a student named Rose. “The safe zone rainbow stickers let kids like me know that they are not alone despite their differences.
Christian Fuscarino, the executive director of Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in New Jersey, told the outlet that the removal of the signage, “sends a message to LGBTQ youth that they are not fully welcomed in the school environment.”
