Missouri School Board Mysteriously Bans LGBTQ Safe Space Stickers Citing Unknown ‘Concern’
Missouri’s Grain Valley Schools school board has banned teachers from displaying popular “Safe Space for All” stickers on or in their classrooms, mysteriously citing “a concern.” The stickers are used nationwide to enable LGBTQ students, and all students, to know they have a safe space to be themselves without fear of reprisal from staff or students.
The board left it to schools to notify parents, which they did on Monday via email, KSHB reports. The notice came after last Thursday’s board meeting, but the Safe Space sticker ban was not on the agenda.
The board claims it initiated the ban because all classrooms should be safe spaces for everyone. In a move similar to the “All Lives Matter” retort to the Back Lives Matter movement, the school board wrote to parents: “Our goal is for every classroom to be a safe place for all students, not just in classrooms where teachers choose to display a particular sign,” “We remain committed to providing professional development to help our staff create a safe, collaborative, and inclusive environment, consistent with our core beliefs, where each student feels a sense of belonging.
The use of these cards, however, is determined to not be an appropriate step at this time.” The board did not state what steps it is taking to secure that goal – or, in fact if it has any plans to ensure the safety of LGBTQ students.
