ANNAPOLIS, Md. — For roughly the last month, stakeholders in Anne Arundel County have debated over a proposal to restrict the flags permitted for display in schools.
On Monday night in Annapolis, the school board heard from parents, students and teachers. An hour before that meeting, opposing protesters gathered on each side of Riva Road outside the building.
The two sides are split on the proposal, which would ban flags in county schools without a ‘bona-fide educational purpose’.
Dyson VanderClute argues it means much more than cloth; the trans flag VanderClute held Monday would be among those restricted in classrooms.
"I think putting a ban on pride flags shows there are students not welcome in that space," VanderClute said. "And I don’t think that a public school should be a space to tell students that this is not for you, a public school needs to be for all students.”
The American flag, Maryland flag, Anne Arundel flag and Annapolis flag would be permitted on display. Tareque Farruk told WMAR that's exactly what the district needs.
“If you bring a flag into the school system that has a personal ideology - you’re allowed to be free in this country - but it is in your own home. In your own space. Not in a public space, where we unite under this [the American] flag.”
Later Monday night, dozens filed into an evening school board meeting, with almost no empty seats in the room, as those on both sides commented publicly.
Supporters say the American flag already unifies everybody - and other flags in schools will only divide; opponents argue the policy is a solution in search of a problem - and something as simple as putting a flag up can make a student feel welcome.
Monday's meeting was the policy’s second reading, so there was not a vote on it; some amendments, however, were made to the original proposal.
