Teachers banned from displaying Pride flags in North Carolina school district

Teachers have been banned from displaying Pride flags in the Johnston County school district, North Carolina. 

The school board in Johnston County, just 30 minutes east of Raleigh, voted 4-2 on Tuesday (8 July) to limit Pride flag displays in schools in the area, following complaints about some teachers supporting the LGBTQ+ community via Pride flag displays. 

The board, which represents 37,000 students across Johnston County, has since changed “Policy Code: Distribution and Display of Non-School Material”, appearing to echo a policy similar to that of Trump’s State Department’s “one-flag policy”.

The school board polcy states that: “Principals and teachers shall limit displays in the classrooms, school buildings, ball fields, school grounds, and buses, such as signs and flags, to materials that represent the United States, the state of North Carolina, Johnston County, the school name, mascot, post-secondary institutions, school-sponsored events, sponsorships, military flags, family photos, student art and/or the approved curriculum.”

The board also tied 3-3 on removing sexual orientation and gender identity from its policies, which explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students and employees from discrimination and cyberbullying. 

“It’s important that they know when they see somebody wear a human rights pin or a rainbow pin, the message is that this is a safe place for people in the LGBTQ+ community,” board member Kay Carroll, who voted against both policies, said. 

“It’s comforting to see these symbols of acceptance and tolerance. When they see these symbols — which are signals — they know they are safe to be their authentic selves. We’re just treating human beings decently.”

Several board members argue that the district will continue to protect “all students and school employees” despite the proposed policy changes.

“It’s very disturbing to me that anyone thinks if I am of some different thing, I’m not safe in Johnston County Public Schools, because I don’t believe that,” Board chair Lyn Andrews said. 

“And if it’s true, I want to know about it because we are here for every child and every faculty member.”

The upcoming meeting on 12 August may decide the vote when board member Kevin Donovan, who previously supported the policy changes, is present. Andrews said he was absent from the Tuesday vote due to business trip commitments. 

Tuesday’s vote comes after North Carolina Democratic Governor Josh Stein vetoed “mean-spirited” bills targeting trans rights and DEI policies earlier this week.