Chino Valley schools ban Pride flag & may out trans students

CHINO, Calif. - After a contentious heated meeting last week during which the majority of speakers during public comments demanded the ouster or resignation of board President Sonja Shaw, the Chino Valley Unified school board voted 4-1 to ban LGBTQ pride flags in all district classrooms.

The action by the board updates district policy which allows the U.S. flag, California state flag, as well as other country, state and military flags. But the new policy would forbid teachers from showing solidarity or support for the LGBTQ+ students by disallowing the Pride Flag.

Shaw addressed the audience saying: “If a teacher has to fly a flag in the classroom to show a kid this is safe space, that is a teacher problem.” That comment brought immediate angered shouts from those gathered in the room.

The meeting was held at Don Lugo High School in Chino and drew a crowd of over 300 that filled the auditorium. Also at issue was a proposal submitted by board president Shaw that would require the teaching and guidance staff to tell parents if their students are transgender.

The board did not take action on the proposal submitted by board president Shaw that would require the teaching and guidance staff to tell parents if their students are transgender instead delaying further discussion and action until July.

Late last week, supporters of the anti-trans proposal for the school district held a press conference, which included Riverside Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli, one of the co-sponsors of Assembly Bill 1314, which would have required schools across the state to notify parents when a child identifies as transgender, died for the 2023 Assembly legislative year after the chair of the Assembly’s education committee opted not to schedule it for a hearing Shaw, since her election last Fall and elevation to the board presidency in December, has garnered considerable opposition for her public alliance with policies promoted by anti-LGBTQ Southern Poverty Law Center listed hate and extremist group Moms for Liberty. This in addition to her so-called publicly stated conservative leanings.

The Daily Bulletin noted that according to a report prepared for the meeting, the parent notification rule supports the district’s efforts to be “mutually supportive and respectful partners in the education of their children.”

The notification policy is in the interest of students’ mental health and safety, according to the report, and requires parents to be notified if a student asks to be addressed by another name, different pronouns, or wants access to sex-segregated programs, bathrooms or changing facilities.

Shaw’s proposal mirror’s Assemblymember Bill Essayli’s failed bill.

Brenda Walker, president of Associated Chino Teachers, said the policies carry unknown consequences, noting that the district did not contact teachers about them until this week. She said it was unknown what disciplinary steps would be taken by the district if teachers violated the proposed rules The Daily Bulletin reported.

“Teachers are very supportive of students, families, other educators, and employees and advocate for the safety and well-being of everyone in our school community,” Walker said, adding that the notification policy violates state law. As such, she said, the policy would put teachers in the difficult position of choosing between following the district’s rules or state law.

“If you are truly here for students, we encourage you to vote no” on the parent notification and flag policy, Walker told the board.

“LGBTQ+ students deserve to feel safe and protected in their schools. However, the recent actions of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education are anything but supportive or affirming. The majority-conservative board voted 4-1 Thursday evening to ban the display of Pride flags in classrooms, sending a chilling message to LGBTQ+ students, families, and staff that they are unwelcome,” Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang said in a statement:

“Public comment on Thursday’s vote was also staggeringly one-sided, with parents and educators who attended the meeting to speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ policies largely silenced. It is our hope that the Chino Valley Board of Education — and all governmental bodies — allow comments from community members and advocates representing all sides of an issue, and that they follow the letter of the law established by the Ralph M. Brown Act.