WALES, Wis. – At the July 26 Kettle Moraine School Board meeting, the district’s code of ethics that forbids employees from promoting political or religious views was revised to include the Pride flag and the use of representatives. from the email signature.
During Tuesday’s meeting, many students and their families expressed their concerns with the policy. Edith Cramer, a freshman, is one of them.
“I don’t want to get confused and I want people to know, especially if I’m meeting new people, I want them to know that they can feel safe around me,” Cramer told TMJ4 before the meeting.
Cramer identifies as transgender and uses the pronoun he/he. He says his identity is not political.
“It’s just part of who I am. I mean, people can switch political views and people can decide to support one party or another, but I didn’t decide for a day that I I haven’t decided one day Cramer said.
This year will enter a new school, now the boy still has to face many worries at the beginning of the school year. He is afraid that he will not be accepted for who he is.
Another student speaking during the meeting said: “The best way to know if a teacher is supportive is if they have a Pride flag in the classroom.”
Project Trevor, a national LGBTQ and suicide crisis prevention organization, sent letter to the Kettle Moraine School District highlighting the importance of gender-affirming schools.
The letter read: “LGBTQ reported having at least one adult accept a 40% lower risk of suicide. Furthermore, LGBTQ youth in schools with LGBTQ curricula and expanded, practices in the classroom, were more likely to report that their co-workers were somewhat or very accepting of LGBTQ people and were less likely to experience harassment.”
TMJ4 News has contacted the chairman of the board and general manager for an interview. We have been sent director’s commentfrom the July school board meeting, where he called the policy a professional expectation.
Policy of Kettle Moraine via TODAY’S TMJ4
There were a few people at the meeting who voiced their support for the district’s policy.
“Most of us ask our schools to focus on teaching our children and not bring political issues and divisions into the classroom,” one parent said at the meeting.
Another student thanked the board for their decision on this policy, saying he wanted education to be the focus of his classrooms.
But for Cramer, being seen and accepted.
“They talk about wanting students to accept differences and be able to understand diversity and many things, but the way they do this is really hypocritical,” says Cramer.
