Irving ISD board to decide fate of teacher at center of LGBTQ sticker controversy

IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Last September, hundreds of Irving ISD students walked out of their high school. They were protesting what they described as targeted discrimination against LGBTQ students.  

On April 18 the school board discussed whether to terminate the high school teacher who opposed the removal of rainbow stickers that signified safe spaces for students. They listened to Rachel Stonecipher, her mother and several others who voiced their support. CBS11 spoke school board member Dr. Rosemary Robbins after the meeting concluded. She said the board did not reach a decision on Stonecipher's employment. 

"What hurts me the most is what hurts my students the most," Stonecipher said. "What we have here is an unwillingness to show students that words have meaning." 

Last September, the McArthur High School English teacher was escorted off campus. 

"My understanding on the district's perspective is that I violated standards that they had set about unprofessional communication," she said. "That's the phrase that has been used multiple times." 

She said specifically, expressing her disapproval of the removal of stickers and signs that signified safe classrooms for LGBTQ students. The incident led to a massive student protest. 

Stonecipher, who was also the sponsor for the school's Gay Straight Alliance, asked for an explanation. 

An attorney representing the district said they were taken down because they were giving the wrong impression by encouraging teens in crisis to turn to teachers and not counselors. 

Stonecipher disagrees. "I'm sad," she said. "I'm worried that we've taken several steps back." 

She also said her newspaper students were prohibited from writing about the decision to remove the stickers. CBS11 News asked the district for a response and is waiting for a response.