{"id":1971695,"date":"2023-07-13T09:41:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T13:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-county-narrowly-rejects-proposal-that-would-ban-pride-blm-flags\/"},"modified":"2023-07-13T09:43:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T13:43:52","slug":"maryland-county-narrowly-rejects-proposal-that-would-ban-pride-blm-flags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-county-narrowly-rejects-proposal-that-would-ban-pride-blm-flags\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland County narrowly rejects ban on Pride, BLM flags."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaryland-county-narrowly-rejects-proposal-that-would-ban-pride-blm-flags%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1971695&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Board of Education Narrowly Rejects Proposal to Ban Non-Governmental Flags<\/h2>\n<p>The board of education in one Maryland county narrowly rejected a proposal that would ban all non-governmental flags, which would include Pride and Black Lives Matter (BLM) flags.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>During a contentious meeting on Wednesday, the Anne Arundel County Board of Education voted 4-3 to reject a policy banning the display of all non-governmental flags on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/seattle-parents-shocked-after-learning-students-will-return-to-schools-with-homeless-encampments\/\" title=\"Seattle Parents Shocked After Learning Students Will Return To Schools With Homeless Encampments\">school property<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If the proposed policy had passed, Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) would\u2019ve only been able to fly the American, Maryland, Anne Arundel County, and city of Annapolis flags. The policy clarified that AACPS employees, students, volunteers, and visitors could still adorn their clothing or personal belongings with any non-governmental flags.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cExcept for flags that promote national, state, and local government pride, the display of flags on Board property and in AACPS shall be limited to those with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-county-narrowly-rejects-proposal-that-would-ban-pride-blm-flags\/\" title=\"Maryland County narrowly rejects ban on Pride, BLM flags.\">bona fide educational purpose<\/a>,\u201d read the proposed policy. \u201cNothing in this policy is intended nor may be construed to limit the right of any individual AACPS employee, student, volunteer, or visitor to adorn their person or personal belongings with such items as buttons, pins, clothing designs, or jewelry that may incorporate a flag or flag-like design[.]\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Board members Joanna Bache Tobin, Robert Silkworth, Dana Schallheim, and Eric Lin voted against the policy. Members Michelle Corkadel, Melissa Ellis, and Corine Frank voted for it. Board member Gloria Dent abstained from voting.<\/p>\n<p>Although this policy would have effectively restricted other flags in addition to the Pride and BLM flags, opponents of the policy mainly focused on the fact that the Pride and BLM flags would be prohibited.<\/p>\n<p>About 2,000 public comments were submitted on the proposed policy; over 80 were presented on the agenda or in person during Wednesday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n<p>According to proponents of the policy, the ban would neutralize classrooms of contentious ideologies, honor the beliefs of religious families, and prevent grooming or undesired ideological indoctrination. Multiple proponents insisted further that the American flag was the only unifying flag, while others were divisive.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1688831213092000&#038;usg=AOvVaw1PLjNvPE9xhE43TkDJzri8\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the policy claimed that the display of the Pride flag would prevent suicides in students. They also claimed that the flags and the ideologies behind them weren\u2019t correlated in any way with declining student performance. Opponents further denied that LGBT ideologies are ideologies.<\/p>\n<p>Public comments from the meeting is available to watch here:<\/p>\n<p>Board member Corkadel said that while she didn\u2019t believe educators intended to force students to choose between their faith and education by displaying Pride or BLM flags, that was what was occurring. Corkadel said that students assigned to a class in which a teacher displayed an ideologically-charged flag, such as the Pride or BLM flags, were forced to exist in an environment that contradicted their beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the day, what we are currently facing are students who feel they have to choose between their religious belief and their public education,\u201d said Corkadel. \u201cI have to take the people of faith \u2014 who are a protected class under our Constitution \u2014 that when they say they are not being valued as a result of trying to value another, I think we need to find a better way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Superintendent Mark Bedell said that he objected to the policy because classrooms were places to cultivate relationships of belonging between teachers and students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe there is a huge difference to flags that fly on a flagpole outside a school building, and those on display inside,\u201d said Bedell. \u201cNo one wins when we enact one inequity to solve another perceived inequity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Board member Schallheim claimed that the policy was designed to target black, brown, and LGBT-identifying individuals. She said that while she recognized the religious groups\u2019 desire to honor their beliefs, she didn\u2019t believe in policies enabling their beliefs at the expense of others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe utterance of the phrase \u2018diversity of thought\u2019 makes the horrendous assumption that these groups are a monolith,\u201d said Schallheim.<\/p>\n<p>Dent, a veteran, said that if the presence of ideological flags like the Pride and BLM flags caused students to feel welcomed, and even reconsider suicide, then they should be allowed to be displayed. However, Dent expressed dismay with the arguments of the opposition: that the presence of flags other than the American flag were their symbol of hope. This conflict prompted Dent to abstain her vote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe American flag should not be on display to where it has to be the product that says that if you have the American flag you somehow can\u2019t have or represent the other cultures that are being represented,\u201d said Dent. \u201cThese flags are symbols of hope for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lin, the high school student member on the board, said that Pride and BLM flags weren\u2019t in many classrooms. He expressed opposition to the fact that the policy would likely restrict college and military pennants. Lin then argued that the Pride flag didn\u2019t represent a political or social issue, and that flags wouldn\u2019t impart ideologies onto students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSchools are not teaching kids an ideology, but rather that people of all natures exist and it is important to respect all,\u201d said Lin.<\/p>\n<p>Silkworth said that while he respected the American flag, he couldn\u2019t support the policy because it went against his understanding of the nation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-un-pick-urges-continued-u-s-presence-in-chinese-led-panels\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s UN pick urges continued U.S. presence in Chinese-led panels\">founding values<\/a> of unity, tolerance, acceptance, and mutual respect.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe American flag will continue and will always fly high outside of our schools,\u201d said Silkworth. \u201cBut what matters is not what flag flies on the wall of an American class. What matters is what flies in our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Frank countered the idea that the Pride and BLM flags weren\u2019t steeped in political foundations, briefly citing their origins with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connor-tomlinson-the-world-economic-forums-woke-war-on-business\/\" title=\"Connor Tomlinson: The World Economic Forum\u2019s Woke War on Business\">influential political figures<\/a> and movements. She also took issue with Schallheim\u2019s promise that no book bans would occur on her \u201cwatch,\u201d saying that Schallheim was laying unauthorized claim to full authority of the board.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Ellis disputed the claims from opposition that the policy was a solution in search of a problem. She said that many parents have come to her expressing fear of speaking out against LGBT and BLM ideologies. Ellis acknowledged the existence of a culture war, one she said could be allayed in their community by neutralizing classroom flags.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBullying in the name of kindness is still bullying,\u201d said Ellis.<\/p>\n<p>In her concluding remarks before the vote, Tobin, in her capacity as board president, apologized for the policy supporters who said that LGBT and BLM were ideologies. She argued that the policy would prevent students from fulfilling what Founding Father Benjamin Franklin said was necessary to keep a republic: debating differences. Tobin claimed that Pride and BLM flags were among the necessary tools for students to develop into citizens.<\/p>\n<p>Some members of the public in attendance erupted into cheers when the policy failed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Anne Arundel County Board of Education in Maryland narrowly voted 4-3 against a proposal to ban non-governmental flags, including Pride and Black Lives Matter (BLM) flags. The decision was made during a heated meeting, where a policy prohibiting the display of such flags was rejected.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":243,"featured_media":1971696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1971695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1971695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/243"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1971695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1971695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1971696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1971695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1971695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1971695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}