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Students, staff urge Chico Unified board not to remove pride flags, citing student safety
Summary
Multiple students and staff told the board that classroom pride flags signal support and safety for LGBTQ+ students and warned that removing such symbols risks harm to vulnerable students; speakers cited national youth-mental-health statistics and asked the board to prioritize student wellbeing.
During the public‑comment period at the Oct. 15 Chico Unified board meeting, students and staff urged the district not to remove classroom pride flags and emphasized the flags’ role in making LGBTQ+ students feel safe.
Fifteen‑year‑old Valerie Torres of Pleasant Valley High School told the board she spoke for students who are afraid to use their voices: "The pride flag is a symbol of love, identity, and a community," she said, arguing that the flags help students feel supported and less alone. Coach and GSA adviser Casey Hanson said the presence of pride flags fosters belonging and safety and cited national data on youth mental health, telling the board that representation can help prevent harm.
Other students described personal experiences with suicidal ideation and self‑harm and said that removing visible symbols of support would worsen isolation. Caitlin Sheridan asked the board to consider the harm to students if a policy banning pride flags were adopted, urging members to "think about us and what makes us feel safe" before making any decisions.
Board President Landau thanked the students for using their voices and said the board could not respond to non‑agendized items at length during the meeting, but acknowledged the concern the speakers raised. The public comments were recorded as part of the meeting’s public‑comment record; no policy vote on flags took place that evening.
What the record shows: Speakers asked the board to avoid policies or actions that would remove pride displays from classrooms and to weigh student safety and belonging in any consideration of display policies. The board did not take formal action on flag displays during this meeting.
