The Costs of Culture Wars in Schools
At Senator Ruben S. Ayala Senior High School in Chino Hills, students this semester complained of broken air conditioners and bathroom sinks, faulty Chromebooks and Wi-Fi, and, in one classroom, a ceiling leak that dripped into a bucket by a teacher’s desk as rats scurried across the floor.
But recently, school administrators dealt with a different in-classroom issue: the appearance of 4-by-6-inch rainbow-pattern note cards imprinted with the phrase “safe space.” Some teachers saw the cards as a way to show support to LGBTQ+ students. But school leaders said they went against a district ban on non-American flags, including rainbow ones, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. The cards are now gone.
A High-Profile Board President
Sonja Shaw, the board president, speaks out against “woke indoctrination” of students. During a board meeting last year, she said non-binary and transgender students could use the help of “non-affirming” parents to “get better.” A parent to two public school teens, she was an outspoken critic of the board during pandemic school closures before winning her seat in Nov. 2022.
She says she is not anti-LGBTQ+ and faces opposition because she is “Christian and loves Jesus.”
Campus Tensions
Students interviewed from multiple high schools in Chino Valley say they are growing increasingly concerned.
Teachers Also Speak Out
Amanda Swager, a chemistry teacher at Chino High School who said they were intersex, said “these sideshows, these resolutions do absolutely nothing.”
The Campaign for the Board Seats
The community’s response – by the way of votes – will be known next week. In the three board seats up for election, it’s become a contest of liberals vs. conservatives. Candidates in each race are speaking against the district’s current direction. Incumbents in two races are promoting board positions. The Associated Chino Teachers union has endorsed candidates opposed to parental notification and other LGBTQ+-related policies.
Conclusion
The culture wars in schools have become a reality, with districts and school boards at the forefront of the issues. The costs of these conflicts are mounting, with legal fees and increased security and communications workloads to respond to misinformation.
FAQs
Q: What is the issue with the rainbow pride flags in the school district?
A: The district banned rainbow flags, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, in classrooms, citing a ban on non-American flags.
Q: What is the controversy surrounding the “safe space” note cards?
A: Some teachers saw the note cards as a way to show support to LGBTQ+ students, but school leaders said they went against a district ban on non-American flags, including rainbow ones.
Q: What is the stance of the board president, Sonja Shaw, on LGBTQ+ issues?
A: Shaw has spoken out against what she calls “woke indoctrination” of students, and has said that non-binary and transgender students could use the help of “non-affirming” parents to “get better.”
Q: What is the current state of the school district’s policies on LGBTQ+ issues?
A: The district has been criticized for its policies, including a ban on non-American flags, including rainbow ones, and a “no deception” policy that has been seen as targeting LGBTQ+ students and their families.
Q: What is the election outcome expected to be?
A: The community’s response – by the way of votes – will be known next week. It is expected to be a contest of liberals vs. conservatives, with candidates speaking against the district’s current direction.
