The board’s conservative majority carried the vote. The policy does not specifically mention pride flags, but teachers now must get approval by the district to display flags in their classrooms other than the American and California flags.
Board member Jennifer Wiersma, who supported the policy, says the American flag is enough.
“We are united under the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The flag, The American flag is the symbol for this. It's the most inclusive, and it's the least discriminatory,” said Wiersma.
However the two board members, Steven Schwartz and Allison Barclay, who opposed the policy, question why it’s even needed.
“If there's a certain flag, we don't want flown, let's just say it," said Barclay.
Similar flag policies were adopted by the Chino Valley and Orange districts earlier this year.
Also at last night’s meeting, Schwartz brought forward a resolution to protect the rights of LGBTQ students and district employees. Barclay, who supported it, described how the board’s recent adoption of anti-LGBTQ policies has made some students feel unsafe.
“And when we don't approve something like this, we're just reaffirming to them that we're not supporting them," said Barclay.
The resolution failed to pass. The conservative majority said it's not the board’s job to create a “social justice space."