As a concerned community member (who has conversed with many other community members and parents on this issue and is reaching out on their behalf) I wanted to make you aware of an organized political event that took place in a Derry public school this past Friday, April 1st.
Last Friday one of the guidance counselors at West Running Brook Middle School, Ms. Almon, with the support of Mr. Krieger, the principal, held an LGBTQ walkout during the school day. This was organized in response to the legislative bills being supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida. Mr. Krieger’s rationale for allowing this event to take place is that students’ constitutional rights don’t stop at the school doors.
While many of us 100% agree with that, we do not agree with ‘political movements’ being organized and allowed to take place during the school day with support from building admin and school staff.
The district has said again and again that politics are not supposed to be brought into school and we have been made aware that teachers have been told to remove certain signs/posters that were deemed political in nature, yet this was allowed. Given that this event was in response to “legislative bills,” that clearly makes it political and has no place in school.
What’s more concerning is that fliers were hung throughout the building encouraging students to participate. Attached is a picture of the flier and we have been told that the name of the counselor, Caitlin Almon, scribbled her name out at the bottom of the post-it note (perhaps she knew she was crossing a line and didn’t want her name on the note after all).
It is our opinion that this event turned into a movement. They even had a microphone set up so students could speak. One might even argue that it was a rally that happened in a school building DURING the school day. Students should be in class working on “closing the Covid learning gap”, not pushing political movements. Haven’t our kids been through enough?
Now if there were students who chose to walk out discretely of their own accord that would be one thing and they should not be penalized because yes, their first amendment rights should be supported. But when it’s being promoted and advertised and becomes a movement, that’s not ok. From what we understand there were about 150 students in the cafe (just what we’ve been told) and there weren’t enough seats for all of them so they were standing, sitting on the floor, and even sitting on each other’s laps.
This is unacceptable on so many levels (inappropriate physical contact, Covid, etc.). Kids were recording other kids as well, likely without their knowledge and we have been told that other.
That they support those students, but that it’s become constantly in their face and they’ve had enough. We are concerned that it is causing division among students and probably staff as well. Haven’t we all endured enough division?
Perhaps you agree that what happened at West Running Brook Middle School last Friday crossed a line and should never have been allowed to happen at school.
Political issues should not be forced upon our kids. They are in school to learn academics, not political agendas. There is no place for this sort of thing in our schools and other kids are being made to feel uncomfortable.
Pride month is coming up in June and we are concerned about other activities (that may be) being planned.
Supporting students who are navigating their identities is important and understandable, but there have to be boundaries. We feel that this sort of thing is something that needs to be exposed and the public needs to be aware of what is going on in public schools. If it’s happening in Derry, it’s likely happening in other districts and parents need to know what’s going on within the school walls.
