MISSOULA — Over the past couple of years, many school districts across the country have addressed the ethicality of displaying pride flags in classrooms.
The Board of Trustees will address a complaint that Pride flags in Sentinel High School are against board policy during the Missoula County Public School Board meeting on Tuesday, April 23.
This complaint has been on-going since November.
A community member submitted a formal complaint to Sentinel High School principal Stephanie Thennis on Nov. 16, 2023. In the complaint, the community member said the school was in violation of MCPS Board Policy 2330 on academic freedom.
The policy states staff should “refrain from using one’s classroom position to promote one’s own ideology or any partisan point of view.”
The district's grievance policy is outlined in the MCPS Board Policy 1700.
It explains the following five steps a person can take while making a complaint:
- Level one: Informally and directly addressing the staff involved.
- Level two: Sending a written statement to the principal within 30 days of the alleged violation.
- Level three: Scheduling an in-person meeting with the district superintendent, then writing a written appeal to the school board within 15 days of receiving the superintendent’s decision.
- Level four: A meeting is held with the Board of Trustees.
- Level five: appealing the board’s decision to the County Superintendent of schools within 30 years after the final decision.
The complainant involved in the issue is about Pride flags following the MCPS grievance policy.
Following a phone call with Sentinel High School staff, the person sent a formal written complaint to Principal Thennis. The complaint read as follows:
“As you're aware this policy is currently being violated in classrooms 121 and 215, demonstrating this is obviously not an isolated classroom incident. As well, there is evidence of direct ideology/partisan promotion in school hallways, therefore, you are directly responsible for bringing the entirety of Sentinel High School into compliance with Board Policy 2330.”
Principal Thennis responded on Dec. 4, saying “Pride flags were permitted as a symbol of inclusivity, not political statements.”
The complainant disagreed with Thennis’s decision, so they continued onto the next steps of Board Policy 1700 and brought the issue to MCPS Superintendent Micah Hill.
In their level three complaint submitted to Micah Hill on Dec. 4, the complainant wrote:
“As well, any flag, whether the flag is a pride flag, a Hamas flag, an Israeli flag, a Russian flag, a Ukrainian flag, a Christian flag, a BLM flag - is irrelevant - they all fall within 'promotion of one's own ideology or any partisan point of view' per policy 2330. Please note, it is concerning to hear that 'pride flags were permitted' as I do not believe Sentinel High School administration and teachers have discretion to violate board policy based on personal opinion.”
Superintendent Hill agreed with principal Thennis’s decision.
In a written response on Feb.11, Hill stated the following:
“Overall, the aim of Policy 2330 is to protect Academic Freedom which is the view that "if teachers are to promote the growth of knowledge, they require the freedom to teach and conduct inquiry without fear of sanction or reprisals should they present an unpopular or controversial idea. Displaying a Pride flag hardly qualifies as "teaching" but to your point that staff must "refrain from using one's classroom position to promote one's own ideology or any partisan point of view,” I contend (having talked with the staff member) that the display of the flag is neither political nor ideological.”
Hill continued to mention multiple Supreme Court decisions regarding free speech for students and teachers in public schools. Specifically, he mentioned Tinker v Des Moines, which states evidence of substantial disruption is required to stop a practice of freedom of speech.
Hill also said “Policies banning only Pride Flags would be considered viewpoint discrimination. In the recent Supreme Court Case, Shurtleff v City of Boston, the court addressed the issue of viewpoint discrimination and the Court's decision has given rise to local 25 governments (a school board is a local government) to address the issue through policy and internal guidance.”
In a response on Feb.12, 2024, the complainant decided to move onto level four of the MCPS complaint policy. The complainant stated the following:
“I am not requesting a specific ban on pride flags — those two classrooms (121 and 215) that are hanging them are mere examples of violation of board policy 2330 that states: ‘The Board directs the teaching staff to: Refrain from using one’s classroom position to promote one’s own ideology or any partisan point of view.’ My ask of the school board is for there to be a policing action done where all flags/messaging/etc. (minus the US and MT flags) are removed from any classroom/hallway.”
During the meeting on Tuesday, April 23, the MCPS Board of Trustees will vote on whether to “uphold the Superintendent’s decision and direct the Superintendent to develop administrative procedures to ensure consistent implementation of policies adopted by the Board.”
Public comment will be allowed at the meeting.
If the complainant disagrees with the board’s decision, they are permitted to appeal the ruling to Missoula County Superintendent of Schools Erin Lipkind within 30 days.
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