LI Petition Gains 1,200+ Names, Demands Reversal of Pride Flag Ban

BOHEMIA, NY — Connetquot community members are taking action against the school board, a month after the district's ban on hanging Pride flags in classrooms.

A Change.org petition titled "Connetquot School District: Reverse The Pride Flag Ban," which gained nearly 1,300 signatures, will be presented to the board by parents, students, and members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community on Tuesday at 780 Ocean Ave in Bohemia.

Advocates will also host a flag planting and peaceful protest at 3 p.m., the same time as the delivery.

"LGBTQ+ people are among the most marginalized groups in the United States, without exception in New York and Connetquot," the petition description said. "Connetquot Schools have often been reported by LGBTQ+ students to be an unsafe and unwelcoming environment for them, but noble people within the district has sought to change this reputation, and ensure that Connetquot is truly safe and welcoming for all students, regardless of sexual orientation."

The action comes weeks after more than 600 students, families, Connetquot Teachers Association and community members rallied against the Connetquot School District's ban on Progress Pride flags in the classrooms.

A Progress Pride flag has an additional five-colored chevron to the classic Rainbow flag, and includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized LGBTQ+ communities of color. It also has pink, light blue and white, colors to represent the Transgender Pride flag.

Gov. Kathy Hochul then directed the State Division of Human Rights to investigate the district's actions.

At last month's meeting, board president Jackie Napolitano-Furno stated to a full auditorium of community members that a student reported feeling uncomfortable seeing the Progress Pride flag in the classroom of teacher Sarah Ecke.

The classroom also had a Pride flag.

Ecke, was asked to compromise by keeping the Rainbow flag hung, Napolitano-Furno, said, but take the Progress Pride flag down. When she refused, the district enacted Policy 1310 "which states that school employees shall not engage in political activities" on school premises.

All flags except for the American flag and the New York state flag were ordered to be taken down, the district said.

"The district strives to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all," said Napolitano-Furno. "We recognize that the decision to unilaterally implement the policy on the display of flags has been met with mixed reactions. It is our hope that you understand that it was not made lightly, not without full consideration of all involved, and not with a mal-intent."

However, the petition criticized board president, Jackie Napolitano-Furno.

@longislandpatch Governor Kathy Hochul ordered an investigation into the Connetquot Central School district, after a teacher was prohibited to hang a Progress Pride flag in her classroom. #longisland #longislandnewyork #longislandpatch #patch #connetquotcentralschooldistrict #connetquothighschool #oakdalebohimeamiddleschool #lgbtnetwork #lgbtq #lgbt🌈 #lgbtqi #lgbtqia #lgbtqtiktok #governorhochul ♬ original sound - longislandpatch

"To her, supporting LGBTQ+ students, who face high rates of suicide and depression, was unacceptable and political," the description said. "Unfortunately, this pressure led the Superintendent to send out a directive to ban Pride flags from being displayed by educators. This is a travesty."

The district was recently under fire in September, when it was listed on PEN America's list of banned books.

“Gender Queer: A Memoir,” by Maia Kobabe, is in the district's circulation, but requires parental permission to borrow. According to its website, PEN America defines requiring a permission slip as a ban.

"We demand that the policy be reversed, and the Progress Pride flag be again allowed to be hung in Connetquot Schools," the petition description said, "ensuring that students feel at least a modicum of support in a place that should be the safest for them."

Patch has reached out to the Connetquot School District for comment.

To read the petition, click here.