July 17th 2023.
The Anne Arundel County School Board has just sent a strong message of support for inclusivity. On Wednesday, July 12th, the board voted 3-4 against a proposed flag ban that would have prevented Pride and Black Lives Matter flags from being displayed in classrooms.
This policy was met with great opposition by teachers and parents, who held flags of support and against the policy outside the Anne Arundel County Board of Education Building. Nicole Disney-Bates, President of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County, was one of the influential voices behind the protest. She made it clear that teachers should have the right to decorate their classrooms however they choose.
"We've never been told how to decorate our classrooms before or how to make our students feel included before or not included, and now it appears that we are being told," Disney-Bates said.
The policy, which was first proposed in May, would have only allowed the United States Flag to fly in schools, while other flags had to be approved by the school's principal for a "bona-fide educational purpose". Teachers like Russel Leonie argued that flags are a symbol of community and belonging, and that the policy would greatly limit their ability to show their students that they are welcome in their schools.
While there was strong opposition from both sides of the debate, the board ultimately chose to listen to the teachers and vote against the flag ban. This comes one month after Michigan voted against pride flags on public property, making the Anne Arundel County's ruling all the more notable.
It is clear that the Anne Arundel County School Board is sending a strong message of support for inclusivity and that the teachers and parents of this county are passionate advocates for their students.
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