Farmington families frustrated over district's response to LGBTQ+ classroom sign
FARMINGTON, Minn. — Bad behavior and shouted swear words ended a school board meeting early in Farmington on Monday.
During public comment, someone in the audience yelled at the board members, "You are negatively impacting queer students now. Shame on all of you!"
The board left the room during the tirade as others in the standing-room-only crowd began shouting as well.
Most of the people at the meeting were there to support Farmington's LGBTQ+ students.
The district says it's reviewing its high school classroom signs in order to "better promote a fully inclusive environment" after concerns "regarding the appropriateness of one sign."
At a board meeting last month, a parent said during public comment, "All students should feel included at school, but a sign that has obscure sexual preferences isn't necessary or appropriate."
Supporters see the sign as an important signal to queer students that they're accepted.
"There was never any signage in the school that said that it was ok to be me," Ashlie Tisland, a Farmington High School graduate, said. "I have family that works in the school district. I've lived here almost my whole life, and I was never allowed to be accepted."
Andrea Welvaert attended the meeting with her wife, Reannon Norland.
"Our daughter...will be going to this district in a couple years, and we want to have a place for her to feel accepted and just be safe," Welvaert said.
Farmington's superintendent walked away when WCCO tried to ask him about the sign.
He and a Farmington police officer cleared everyone out of the meeting.
WCCO asked the district to explain its concerns about the sign, and received the following statement:
"Farmington High School administration did request that staff members remove the sign; however, I cannot confirm that the signs have actually been removed. Our district has been and will continue to work on creating school environments where each child feels safe and has a sense of belonging. To that end, in the near future focus groups of students will be established to help design consistent signage that serves all learners in our buildings."
