The School Committee is discussing the institution of a new policy that would give the committee control over what banners and flags are hung up in schools.
The committee’s policy subcommittee met on Zoom Friday to discuss the policy after a removal of a Black Lives Matter flag that was hanging in the high school’s cafeteria. Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Michelle Cresta said during the meeting that the flag was taken down by an “unauthorized individual.”
On Oct. 23, the flag was found hanging back up.
Prior to the discussion on the policy from the committee, a number of community members, many of whom have children in the school district, expressed concern that under the new policy, flags similar to the BLM flag would not be allowed in schools.
Mimi Lemay, a Marblehead parent, explained why she believes it’s important to keep those flags up during public comment.
“I’m hoping that we do not strip our schools of the ability to show solidarity and support for students who face these bias-induced disparities,” Lemay said. “The very purpose in my belief of a public education is to enable and uplift all of our students so they can be fully participating members of society and citizens.”
Cresta firmly stated the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss taking down the BLM flag or any others. She revealed that she had sent a request to the School Committee to review its policy after receiving multiple requests to keep the BLM flag up, as well as requests to hang an Israeli flag.
“This actually just revealed an issue that we have within our School Committee policy,” Cresta said. “We do not have a policy on flags and if certain flags are allowed to fly.”
“This is not an issue to take down the Black Lives Matter flag,” Cresta added. “This is really to provide guidance and to see what that guidance would be.”
Others argued that no flags should be hung in the schools, aside from the American and state flags, which are required under Massachusetts law.
“I feel like all the flags should come down,” Nyla Dubois, who has multiple children in the school district, said. “The reason why is because it really turns kids into political abstractions.”
Cresta said that the hanging of the BLM flag was initiated by a student-led movement.
Another parent, Kirsten Bassion, said in an interview that she would prefer there to be no policy added whatsoever. However, if one is needed, it should be left to the students attending the schools to decide.
“While I don’t want there to be a policy, if there has to be a policy, the power of making those decisions needs to stay within the student body and the educators of the school,” Bassion said.
Bassion added that she feels this could be a “slippery slope” that could potentially lead to other powers being taken away from the schools.
“It feels very much like the will of the students could be usurped by overarching adults, and I don’t want that to happen,” she added.
According to Policy Subcommittee Chair Jenn Schaeffner, based on advice from counsel, there is no immediate rush to get a policy in place, and it should be reviewed carefully. Cresta added that this policy could take weeks or even months to become finalized.
Schaeffner referenced multiple other districts across the state that have incorporated flag policies, including Framingham, whose policy was just incorporated on Oct. 1.
Framingham’s policies allow for flags other than the American and state flags to be hung outside, such as the pride flag, which is to be displayed year-round outside, the Juneteenth flag during the week of Juneteenth, and the disability-awareness flag for the entire month of July.
For other flags representing non-district organizations and events, the School Committee will hold discussions on which flags can be flown with the superintendent’s approval.
Schaeffner then displayed the Hadley school district’s flag policy, adopted in 2021, which the committee identified as a possible template for its own.
Hadley’s policy states that “it shall be the policy of the Hadley School Committee to only permit the flying of the American flag or banners, and the Massachusetts state flag or banners on school grounds, and/or in school buildings.”
If a group or organization wants to place a flag on school grounds, the policy states that a written request must be submitted to the School Committee, along with a “picture or drawing of the proposed flag or banner showing all measurements and colors.”
“Requests will be reviewed and approved or denied on a case-by-case basis,” the policy continues. “No decision by the School Committee will be considered precedent-setting for future requests, including the same group/organization.”
Whatever policy the committee decides to adopt, Schaeffner said, the Shurtleff v. Boston case decision by the Supreme Court in 2022 needs to be implemented in the policy. In that case, the Supreme Court overruled a district court’s decision that the City of Boston did not violate free-speech rights with the refusal to allow a temporary Christian flag to be hung outside of City Hall.
“Whatever policy we come up with, we have to fall within that,” Schaeffner said.
The School Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, Nov. 2, with “Subcommittee and Liaison updates” listed on the agenda, but no item specifically related to a flag-policy update.