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Two protests were held yesterday (August 22) regarding a Missouri principal's decision to remove LGBTQ+ pride flags from classrooms, according to KMOV News.
Two separate protests were held at Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri, yesterday, which was their first day back to school after the summer break. Protesters gathered to ask district officials to reconsider a district policy on employee speech and conduct. The policy in question prompted Kickapoo Principal Bill Powers to have pride flags removed from classrooms. Protestors argued that the the pride flags would help LGBTQ+ students feel more welcomed and safe in school.
Powers asked "a handful" of teachers at the school last week to remove their pride flags from their classrooms, according to US News. Everyone complied. District spokesman Stephen Hall said the request was made after the issue was brought to Powers' attention, though he did not specify what exactly prompted the request.
One of the protests was organized by Brett Baxley, a drag artist from Springfield who graduated from the district in 2018. Baxley argues that removing the flags could actually embolden people to marginalize LGBTQ+ students under the guise of trying to "de-politicize things." On the other hand, Hall claims that Powers was simply following board policy.