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Students and residents urge board to restore 'safe zone' classroom signs removed before winter break
Summary
Multiple Paola High School students and community members told the board during open forum that removal of 'safe zone' signs harmed LGBTQ+ students’ sense of safety; speakers cited district policies and national studies and asked the board to rescind the removal.
Dozens of students and residents addressed the Paola USD 368 board during the Jan. 13 open forum to protest the recent removal of classroom “safe zone” signs and to ask the board to return the displays.
Student speakers described the signs as quiet, private markers of safety and said their removal has harmed vulnerable students. “The posters could have saved someone's life,” said Katie Bernadette Heisey, a sophomore, adding that “Safe zones save lives.” Kelsey Blackmore, a junior, said she had gathered petition signatures and warned the board that CDC data show elevated suicide risk among LGBTQ youth: “This was the first year that the CDC had a selection for the LGBTQ community on their survey, and the results should read heed warning to all of us here.”
Multiple students invoked district policies as the basis for the board’s duty to protect students. Liliana Appala (senior) referenced district policy IFA (classroom displays) and wrote that the removal occurred before finals week; she asked the board to return the signs. Bethany Fannin said the board’s school-board-ethics policy (BH) requires putting “the first and greatest concern” on students’ educational welfare and argued the removal failed that test. Several speakers cited research and organizations (the Trevor Project, CDC, and Kansas State Department of Education resources) linking affirming school environments to lower suicide attempts and better student outcomes.
Speakers described how the signs function in practice: as nonverbal signals that an adult in the classroom is LGBTQ-affirming and willing to advocate for a student. Angelina Blanc summarized the pedagogical function: “Safe zones simply communicate to the students in those classrooms that if you are a member of the LGBTQ community, that the educator in that classroom will not tolerate discrimination against them, will advocate for them, and help to educate their peers in the process.” Several students said the signs were up for years without issue and were taken down after a board member asked that all safe zone signs be removed under IFA.
Not all public commenters supported the signs. Matt Blackley, a parent, said his children’s answers showed multiple interpretations of what “safe zone” means and argued the posters “cause division” and distract from academic priorities.
The board did not take formal action on the signs during this meeting; members did not vote to reinstate or to further restrict classroom displays at this session. Several speakers requested the IFA policy be placed on a future agenda for full board consideration.
Why it matters: Students and families told the board the removal of the safe zone signs reduced visible, immediate signals of support for LGBTQ+ students and increased fear of bullying and self-harm for some students. Speakers asked the board to reconcile its classroom-display policy and to explicitly prioritize student safety and mental-health supports in any policy decision.
