“We ask that you immediately revise the new policy on flag display, explicitly ban the Confederate battle flag, and ensure that service members can express support for diversity and inclusion through the display of sovereign Native Nations and LGBTQ Pride flags,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to Esper released Friday. It also published a letter, signed by numerous statewide educator groups, praising BLM signs and anti-racism education in the classroom.More than two dozen Democrats are demanding Defense Secretary Mark Esper allow service members to fly LGBT Pride and Native Nation flags, which were banned when Esper issued a broad flag policy that was intended to target the Confederate battle flag. Last year, the department released a "success plan" to make schools more LGBTQ-inclusive. The board's ban runs contrary to recent efforts by the Oregon Department of Education to show support for BLM and LGBTQ students. Opponents of the ban say that the signs support and affirm students who might otherwise feel isolated in the district's predominantly white and heterosexual schools. Supporters of the ban say the signs are "divisive" and de-value white and heterosexual students.
District lawyers are examining the ban's potential free speech implications before it officially goes into effect. The ban only applies to teachers and faculty. A three-person school board committee is now creating guidelines on what constitutes "political" messages. The Newberg School Board voted on August 11 to ban teachers and faculty from displaying rainbow flags, Black Lives Matter (BLM) signs, and any other "political" signs, clothing or other items. It was a total expression of community love." "It was the most beautiful group of people who were allies, members of the LGBTQI community," McCarthy said.
In this photo, activists hold a giant rainbow flag during the gay pride march. McCarthy's volunteers also helped paint four rainbow-colored placards that collectively spell the word "LOVE." They placed the placards on the roof of her covered patio.Īfter an Oregon school board banned rainbow Pride and Black Lives Matter flags and signs from its classrooms, a local farmer erected a large Pride flag on their own property. His flag features the standard six rainbow stripes and a five-colored, triangular chevron on the left side that represents transgender people and people of color. The flag is the "Quasar Pride" flag created in 2018 by Portland-based designer Daniel Quasar. It is reportedly visible from the Newberg High School football stadium. Together, they painted the large plywood flag which now stands on McCarthy's property. She recruited some volunteers online to help construct the flag. "I had no idea there was such bigotry and inflammatory action that was going to take place here by the board," the farmer, Erin McCarthy, told news station KPTV.Īfter hearing about the board's vote, she thought of placing the flag on her farm. After the board of the Newberg Oregon School District voted last Tuesday to ban Pride flags from classrooms, a local farmer responded by constructing a large Pride flag on her property barely two miles away from the local high school.