After the Connetquot Central School District banned teachers from hanging Pride flags in classrooms, as per District policy, Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered an investigation.
The announcement came after more than 200 members of the community rallied against the district’s decision at outside Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School on Tuesday night, before a school board meeting.
Dr. David Kilmnick, president and founder of the LGBT Network, announced the investigation at the meeting. Earlier in the day, the advocacy group held a press conference, urging Hochul to take action.
Last week, Reza Kolahifar, the district’s assistant superintendent for administration and personnel, sent a letter to staff Tuesday, citing a district policy that said school employees should not engage in political activities on school grounds.
“This includes, but is not limited to, discussions centered around personal beliefs and flags denoting political views…The only flags that should be hung in a classroom or office are the American flag and the New York State flag.”
Superintendent Lynda G. Adams also wrote a letter to the Connetquot community Thursday, saying the teacher hung both a Rainbow flag and a Progress Pride flag in her classroom.
The Progress Pride flag was “at least twice the size” of the American flag on display, Adams said, and several students reported feeling “uncomfortable” by it.
“The teacher in this classroom was asked to remove the Progress flag, but could continue to display the other flag in the room, which was the traditional Pride flag,” Adams said in an email obtained by Patch.
When the teacher refused, the district enacted Policy 1310 “which states that school employees shall not engage in political activities” on school premises.
Tony Felicio, Jr., president of the Connetquot Teachers Association, told Patch that the district’s actions were wrong.
“The association’s focus is on protecting its teachers and ALL students,” said Felicio. “This decision hurts kids. Period.”
Hochul’s office told Newsday in a statement: “Governor Hochul is committed to protecting the human rights of New Yorkers, and has directed the Division of Human Rights to investigate potential violations of Human Rights Law in this matter, consistent with the agency’s mandate.”
