The organization North Haven Pride is calling on North Haven Public Schools to show more support for the LGBTQ+ community.
It comes after a public comment session surrounding a gender non-conforming substitute teacher during a Board of Education meeting last week.
A non-binary substitute teacher and a cisgender educator allegedly used the children's restroom at Green Acres Elementary School in North Haven. Both were fired, because adults using the children's restroom is against the rules.
Public comment at last Thursday’s Board of Education Meeting turned into a conversation about some parents’ concerns with a gender non-conforming or transgender educator.
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"Parents like myself are accused of hate simply from wanting to protect our children from ideas they are not ready to handle,” said one parent at the meeting.
"I’m not discriminating. I don't want my child near that," said another parent.
“If that teacher is qualified to teach Kindergarten through whatever, they will teach Kindergarten through whatever,” Board of Education Chair Ronald Bathrick said in response to the comments.
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The board maintained in the meeting they are prohibited from discriminating against any teacher as long as they're qualified. They say the former substitute was qualified but was terminated for breaking a standard rule.
From this public comment session, North Haven Pride says they want to see the school district demonstrate unapologetic support for the LGBTIQ+ community.
The organization released a statement calling saying what transpired at the meeting “serves as a painful reminder that North Haven continues not to be a safe or welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.”
North Haven Pride says the misgendering of the substitute teacher from community members and district leaders, as well as other rhetoric used during the meeting was harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.
"It's very harmful, and it's upsetting, and it makes me worry for these kids, and the rest of us worry for these kids,” said Ziv Quinzel, of North Haven Pride.
The organization wants the district to implement professional development for school personnel on safe environments for LGBTQ+ people in the school district.
"If you truly are a safe place, then we need to see that, because your words do not show that, only actions can show that. And if you want to be this safe place for your students, then you need to do better,” said Quinzel.
North Haven Pride says they haven't heard from the school district.
The Board of Education says they haven't met since Thursday’s meeting and deferred back to statements made by board members during the meeting.
