Chaos at Sunol Glen school board meeting as district votes to ban pride flags

ByTim Johns KGO logo

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Chaos at EB school board meeting as pride flags banned

Tuesday's Sunol Glen Unified school board meeting was extremely heated as the district voted to ban flying of pride flags.

SUNOL, Calif. (KGO) -- Tuesday's Sunol Glen Unified School District board meeting was extremely heated. So much so that the board actually shut down the meeting to the public because so many people were interrupting and screaming at each other.

And it wasn't just the public - at one point, the district's superintendent and the president of the board even got into an argument in front of the crowd.

Dozens of people from both sides packed the small meeting room hall on Tuesday.

While the resolution passed technically states that the district can only fly the U.S. and California flags on their campus, much of the debate has stemmed around the LGBTQ+ pride flag.

The topic has divided many in the community, which was evident at the meeting.

Sunol Glen Unified has flown the pride flag on its campus in the past.

Many of those opposed to this new rule says being able to fly flags like pride flags demonstrates that the district remains an open and inclusive place for all.

Several people also tell us they believe the resolution will have detrimental impacts on the district's LGBTQ+ students and community.

"For many kids, the only safe and welcoming and affirming place they have is their school. And when we see school board members that don't acknowledge that and actively push policies against that, it harms gay kids, it harms gay families," said Austin Bruckner-Carrillo of Castro Valley Pride.

Others though, disagree.

MORE: Pride flag murals at Castro Valley schools cause opposing rallies, gain national attention

They think the U.S. flag is inclusive of everyone and said they thought this entire process was being politicized.

Others say they think that without this resolution certain flags are favored over others.

"I don't agree with the lifestyle. But, at the same time, I don't agree having it in the schools and being pushed down everybody's throat. No one's doing their lifestyle down everyone's throat," said Manny Morales.