Lewiston committee keeps current flag and related policies after hours of student and community testimony

The Lewiston Public Schools School Committee voted unanimously Monday to approve the second reading of three policies — on patriotic exercise, flag displays and student dress — after extensive public comment from students, parents and staff urging the district not to remove classroom or community flags.

The vote followed a public-comment period in which dozens of students and community members described flags as symbols of identity and belonging. "These flags mean more than you could ever imagine to so many people," said Emmeline Carey, student body president at Lewiston Middle School, who told the committee the display of national and pride flags helped students feel seen and represented. "This proposal would be an effort to erase the rich cultural representation that we have in our district," she said.

The motion on the table was to approve the policies as presented in their second reading. A committee member moved the motion before the public-comment period and it was seconded; after discussion the committee put the measure to a voice/hand vote and members signaled unanimous approval.

Committee members thanked the students and others who spoke. Member Elizabeth Eames (Ward 3) acknowledged the depth of student testimony and noted a clerical error in the earlier draft of the dress policy; the committee confirmed the mover's friendly edit would be accepted as part of the motion prior to the vote. Member Johnson (committee member) told the public the policy change had been raised in a December policy-subcommittee meeting and was not a broad initiative pushed by the full committee.

Speakers at the microphone argued flags do not distract from learning and that many students rely on sight-lines of flags to feel welcome. "Taking away the one thing so at Lewiston High School we pride ourselves with our diversity — taking away their flags and their ways of representation is stripping them of the possible one thing that makes them feel connected," said Noah Comer, a Lewiston High School student. Other students, parents and staff framed flags as tools teachers use to build background knowledge and to signal that classrooms are safe spaces.

The committee's approval leaves current practice intact: classrooms and school spaces may continue to display the American flag, state flag and other flags that staff and schools have used to represent students' national origins, colleges or identity groups. The committee did not adopt a new prohibition on flags, and no change to the current flag-display rules was enacted at the meeting.

The meeting moved on to a scheduled HR presentation and the district's financial audit review after the vote.

Ending: The committee recorded the approval and then proceeded to the next item on the published agenda.