Flag Ban Decision Made By Anne Arundel County School Board

This story was last updated Wednesday at 5:09 p.m.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — A flag ban proposal failed Wednesday at the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. Three board members voted for the policy, four voted against it and one abstained.

The policy would have prohibited all flags on school property except for the American, Maryland, Anne Arundel County and City of Annapolis flags. Flags that had a "bona fide educational purpose" would have still been allowed. Students and staff would've also been allowed to adorn their person and belongings with prohibited flag designs.

Opponents said this policy would have prohibited flags for causes like:

• LGBTQ+ pride
• Black Lives Matter
• Police Lives Matter
• Military branches
• POW/MIA
• Ukraine
• Colleges
• Sports teams

Supporters said the policy would have neutralized classrooms, removed signs of political ideology and highlighted the importance of official governmental flags.

Kevin McDonald, the father of two kids in Anne Arundel County Public Schools, opposed the proposal. He called it "a direct attack on our children" and said "the pride flag is not political, and it is not an ideology."

"This country is founded on equality," the retired veteran with 20 years of service said. "The constitution says we the people, not we the people except. I didn't swear an oath to stand idly by it as groups of Americans are marginalized due to the unfounded fears of a few. The American flag stands proudly in our schools and classrooms. It is not being removed or diminished in any way."

Kim Pratta supported the proposal. She wants neutral classrooms with an unbiased learning environment, but she said the purpose of the policy got lost in the debate.

Pratta accused board members of "curtailing to the cries of social justice warriors" and said the "policy is now about teachers who want to bring their political ideals into the classrooms and push certain ideologies on their students."

"This policy is not about a flag ban," Pratta said. "It is about removing all distractions from our classrooms. Flags do not protect children. An environment where children can learn and thrive does. Classrooms are for learning and not grooming."

Student Member of the Board Eric Lin, a rising senior at Severna Park High School, said military branch flags shouldn't be banned.

"We have many students whose families may move a lot because their parents are in the military," Lin said at the meeting, which was the first of his year-long term. "Having a teacher who has one of these flags up lets the students know that these teachers may have served in the military and can be someone to talk to and confide in."

Corine Frank, the board member for County Council District 3, introduced the proposal. She said it stemmed from constituents concerned about the flags currently shown in classrooms and an attempt to codify which flags are allowed in schools.

"What, as a board, is our plan when a Muslim or Christian or Jewish student requests a flag removed over religious objections? What are the legal ramifications if that flag is not removed?" Frank said. "At its core, the policy allows for all students to feel welcome, not just the ones who see their flags on a wall."

Frank, Melissa Ellis (District 4) and Michelle Corkadel (District 7) voted for the policy.

Lin, Dana Schallheim (District 5), Vice President Robert Silkworth (District 2) and President Joanna Bache Tobin (District 6) voted against the proposal.

Gloria Dent (District 1) abstained from voting.

The full text of the defeated proposal is posted here.

Related:

• Flag Ban Vote, School Redistricting On Tap At Anne Arundel Board Of Education Meeting
• Could Military, LGBTQ Flags Be Removed Under School Flag Proposal?