Hilliard Schools NEA Badge Promotes Controversial LGBTQ Plus Content

The Orange City School District Board of Education convened on May 27, 2025, to address several key issues affecting the district, including discussions on educational materials, school calendars, and budgetary concerns.

The meeting began with public comments, where a speaker raised concerns regarding the National Education Association (NEA) and its involvement in promoting educational materials that some deemed inappropriate. The speaker referenced a recent incident at Hilliard City Schools, where a QR code on a badge led to a website with explicit content related to sexual education. This prompted a discussion about the implications of such materials in schools and the responsibility of educational institutions to vet resources provided to teachers. The speaker expressed confidence that similar issues would not arise in Orange Schools.

Following the public comments, the board moved to agenda item 8, which involved a public hearing on the school district calendars for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. The calendars had been vetted with the Orange Teachers Association, and the board discussed the inclusion of parent-teacher conference dates and professional development days. The principals confirmed that hybrid options for conferences would continue, allowing parents to attend in person or via Zoom.

The board then addressed item 9, which involved a contract review for the printing and binding of the Orange High School yearbook. The contract, amounting to $33,727.81, was clarified as being funded through student purchases rather than upfront payments by the district.

In item 10, the board approved two membership contracts: one with Thrive Learning Center for a behavior technician and another for a field trip proposal to the Andy Warhol Museum for the art and design class, both receiving unanimous support.

The meeting concluded with the treasurer's report, highlighting the adoption of the annual appropriations resolution. The treasurer noted a significant increase in employee benefits costs, projected at 10%, which raised concerns about budget management moving forward.

Overall, the meeting addressed critical issues regarding educational content, calendar planning, and financial oversight, setting the stage for future discussions and decisions impacting the Orange City School District.