The union’s LGBTQ caucus website also offers information on starting a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club within the school
A Pennsylvania school district announced its partnership Wednesday with the nation’s largest teachers union to launch an LGBTQ initiative, giving teachers “ally” badges that provide resources to gay students.
Norristown Area School District (NASD) launched the “I’m Here” initiative, created by the National Education Association’s (NEA) LGBTQ caucus, which provides teachers and faculty ally badges featuring the pride flag, according to a school press conference. The “I’m Here” badges display a QR code for students to scan which takes them to the NEA LGBTQ caucus website that provides resources on “coming out” and “sexual education.” (RELATED: Biden’s Team Reached Out To Teachers’ Union Before He Took Office To Coordinate Reopening, Top Official Testifies)
“It is my hope that all of our staff will voluntarily participate to wear the ‘I’m Here’ badge to show that we want to provide safe spaces with safe people willing to support all students and all staff members and in particular our LGBTQIA+ students and staff,” Christopher Dormer, NASD superintendent, said at the press conference. “This is what being part of the NASD family truly means. We care about each other and we value everyone for who they are.”
The NEA LGBTQ caucus “I’m Here” website provides resources on teen suicide related to sexual orientation and gender identity and links to sites where students can connect with “an affirming international community.” The caucus offers educators a “resource toolkit” which provides information on “gender identity,” “coming out” and “sex education.”
The union’s LGBTQ caucus website also offers information on starting a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club within the school. The National GSA Network has been previously criticized for teaching that capitalism creates systemic power and leads to oppression of the LGBTQ community.
In September 2022, despite parental backlash, Hilliard City Schools in Columbus, Ohio, permitted teachers to wear the “I’m Here” badges provided by their local union chapter affiliated with the NEA. Several parents filed a lawsuit against the school in January 2023 which asked the court to order teachers to stop wearing the badges.
“We are so proud that the Norristown Area School District is progressive enough to say ‘we’re just about keeping kids safe,’” Alan Malachowski, Pennsylvania State Education Association Mideast region president, said at the press conference. “We all know about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we all know how important it is for kids to come to school ready to learn. How can a kid come to school ready to learn if they don’t feel safe?”
“It is very simple. You wear the badge, it tells any student, ‘I stand with you, I’m not going to judge you, I accept you for who you are and I am a person you can talk to and come to,” Lee Speers, president of the Education Association of Norristown Area, a NEA local affiliate, said at the press conference.
In September 2022, despite parental backlash, Hilliard City Schools in Columbus, Ohio, permitted teachers to wear the “I’m Here” badges provided by their local union chapter affiliated with the NEA. Several parents filed a lawsuit against the school in January 2023 which asked the court to order teachers to stop wearing the badges.
“We are so proud that the Norristown Area School District is progressive enough to say ‘we’re just about keeping kids safe,’” Alan Malachowski, Pennsylvania State Education Association Mideast region president, said at the press conference. “We all know about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we all know how important it is for kids to come to school ready to learn. How can a kid come to school ready to learn if they don’t feel safe?”
NASD and EANA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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