Open Letter to the Board & Superintendent

Dr. Sebert, Dr. Piacsek and Members of the Board,

Regarding the “SDW Stakeholder Communication”:

How dare you?

How dare you try to throw the teachers and staff of this district under the bus for the way YOU are choosing to implement policy?

The firestorm surrounding Rainbowland never would have happened if you hadn’t chosen to rewrite and implement a policy which paints rainbows and the very existence of LGBTQIA+ people as controversial. If you recall, MANY parents, teachers, and students warned you that this was the wrong decision. So how dare you try to spin this situation as something the board and superintendent bear no responsibility for?

You can’t have it both ways. If you think it’s worthwhile to censor a song about rainbows and acceptance, and to create a climate in which teachers are forced to second guess every decision because you don’t trust them as professionals to do their jobs, then the absolute minimum you can do is own that decision.

You made your beds. Lie in them.

-Karen

PS. You have still never come out and said what you find objectionable about the lyrics to Rainbowland. Speaking as the parent of a first grader myself, I’d much rather have my child learn about the song’s message of acceptance and making a difference than have to explain why a bunch of full grown adults object to rainbows.