Alliance Statement on the 1-11-23 Board Meeting
The Alliance for Education in Waukesha is deeply disturbed by the actions that the School District of Waukesha Board took at its monthly meeting on Wednesday night. [View meeting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TgEgoJSrAg ]
Although we are heartened that the Board chose not to force a unilateral business casual dress code onto SDW staff which would have made their day-to-day jobs much more physically difficult and painful, we are saddened by how their actions have sought to single out, alienate and/or out LGBTQ+ students in the district and force SDW staff to be put in the middle in notifying SDW parents of students’ preferences at school.
In addition, SDW staff is now banned from wearing or displaying on their clothing any messaging which could be deemed political – including any rainbow colored items or other messages which could be construed as being pro-LGBTQ+.
This action will make SDW schools an entirely unsafe environment for LGBTQ+ students whose parents may be unsupportive of their identity, and the end result is that it may require SDW staff to unwillingly out an LGBTQ+ student to their parents. Students in this position will in essence need to choose between staying in the closet both in school and at home, enduring gender dysphoria and suffering with shame, guilt and turmoil in silence to ensure their physical or emotional safety at home; OR living their truth at school and being unwillingly outed to parents who may inflict mental or verbal abuse upon their child, throw their child out of the house, or force them to seek religious or conversion therapy (which is still legal in Wisconsin).
Studies show that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely as their cis straight peers to contemplate suicide; and 45% of LGBTQ+ youth have considered suicide in the last year, with more than half of transgender or nonbinary youth considering suicide.
Forcibly outing students to parents who may not be well-equipped to handle such situations is downright dangerous and leaves LGBTQ+ students with literally no support from adults in their lives. It is our hope that the ACLU and state lawmakers will stand up and take notice of this situation which could literally endanger the life of students.
