MIAMI – A flag flap has come to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board, and it involves fling the American flag at schools and outlawing others.
The American flag should be flying at all schools, and in classrooms, according to district years-old policy.
“I just don’t think that’s the place, the classroom, that’s not what we’re teaching,” said new school board member Roberto Alonso. “I’d like for our teachers to have the flexibility to bring in flags.”
Alonso also write an update for next month’s meeting agenda. It specifies which other flags are permissible.
“…Hispanic History Month, Black History Month…they’ll be flags based on curriculum.”
He also specifies which flags are not permitted. Those that promote a political issue, party, candidate or anything not a classroom subject.
In context, it’s another step in the direction of a more conservative-majority school board.
And one supporter, Alex Serrano with CCDF, County Citizens Defending Freedom, explained why.
“The rainbow flag is a specific example,” he said. “There was an issue of a mural in CGHS of a BLM flag, so those are specific examples of controversial, political and special interests groups from outside of our education system utilizing it for their objectives which deviates from the foundation learning focus that our school district should have.”
Maxx Fleming with PRISM calls the rainbow flag a source of safety and comfort for LGBTQ students, and fears less of both.
“We know that this is more than just displaying the flag properly,” he said. “Being able to have empathy and understanding of people who may be different, have different experiences than you is extremely important for emotional and social development.”
Added Alonso: “Throughout our campaign, I assured everybody our schools needed to be focused on educating our kids and getting back to basics.”
The item is on the agenda for the meeting taking place on Dec. 14.