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Parents, students and advocacy groups protest board directive to remove "safe space" stickers; board members defend action
Summary
After a board directive to remove "safe space" stickers from Calvert County Public Schools, dozens of students, parents and local advocacy groups spoke at the May 12 Board of Education meeting urging reversal; board members said the action was taken out of concern for child safety and gaps in internal guidance.
Dozens of students, parents and local advocates urged the Calvert County Board of Education on May 12 to reverse a recent directive ordering removal of "safe space" stickers from classrooms, calling the move harmful to LGBTQ+ students and unsupported by evidence. Board members who defended the directive said it was motivated by concerns about unsupervised "safe" designations and gaps in district guidance on staff roles when students disclose personal matters.
The board action to remove stickers was raised repeatedly during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Paul Quaid, president of PFLAG Southern Maryland, told the board the removal "sends a dangerous message to LGBTQ students" and cited local Youth Risk Behavior Survey numbers that he said show elevated distress among queer students in Calvert County. "Safe space stickers have historically served a simple but powerful function," Quaid said.
Several students described immediate emotional effects after the stickers were removed. A Northern High School student, Victoria Humphrey, said classmates told her they now hesitate to speak with…
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