A group of colorful buttons featuring various LGBTQ pride and identity flags.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Teachers in a Pennsylvania school district are suing after they were ordered to remove Pride signs from their classrooms.
The proposed class action filed earlier this month in Johnstown federal court faults the Hollidaysburg Area School District with enforcing a so-called “Don’t Say Gay” policy passed in October.
It states décor like flags, banners and posters related to sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited in classrooms and passed in a unanimous vote by the Hollidaysburg Area school board.
Considering young LGBTQ+ people are at a higher risk for suicide than other groups, the complaint says the policy endangers their wellbeing.
“The intent behind the policy is alleged to be a bare desire to harm LGBTQ+ people, to purge and censor speech about sexual orientation or gender identity within the school district, while similar speech is not prohibited, or, in practice, not policed within the district,” the suit says.
“The district’s policy… is averred to be overtly and facially discriminatory against Plaintiffs and against people who are LGBTQ+, and/or unconstitutional as applied to Plaintiffs.”
The two teachers are proceeding in court under pseudonyms. One of them is a lesbian math teacher who was ordered to remove rainbow-colored signs from her classroom, including a rainbow pi symbol. Another sign said “Diverse, Inclusive, Accepting, Welcome Safe Space For Everyone” in rainbow letters.
The school district allows teachers to wear religious jewelry, the lawsuit complaints, like a necklace with a Jewish Star of David. One teacher at the junior high school wore a shirt with religious lyrics from a Kid Rock song.
“The wearing of clothing containing religious messages and imagery is not explicitly covered under Policy 321.1’s stated exception for religious jewelry,” the suit says. “Therefore, the wearing of clothing containing religious messages or imagery is a violation of Policy 321.1 but is nevertheless permitted to be worn by the district, because the district agrees with the message, but not with messages relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.”
School buildings are still used for bible study and church food drives. Attorney Justin Robinette represents the plaintiffs.
