Kansas School District Forbids Wearing of Safety Pins

[clueliss]

Shawnee Mission School District is forbidding the wearing of safety pins by teachers. 

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 We ask staff members to refrain from wearing safety pins or other symbols of divisive and partisan political speech while on duty--unless such activity is specifically in conjunction with District curriculum.

 

http://www.smsd.org/news.aspx?id=4897

 

 

http://www.pitch.com/news/blog/20844364/shawnee-mission-school-district-forbids-teachers-from-wearing-safety-pins

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In the wake of Donald Trump’s election to the presidency, safety pins have emerged as a gesture of solidarity toward marginalized groups — women, immigrants, people of color, Muslims, and the LGBT community — who have pretty good reasons to be concerned about life in Trump’s America.

Over in the Shawnee Mission School District, though, this simple symbol of compassion has been deemed excessively political.

This dandy hit my newsfeed on Facebook courtesy of my youngest first cousin.  I woman I am proud to say was pulled from a school board meeting on one occasion (I got the pleasure of seeing this on video) for standing up for the bilingual charter school her kids attend(ed).  She lives on the left coast but this sort of thing is always on her radar screen.  Spread the news on this one. 

[RoseWilder]

Inclusion is now divisive. Wow, Trump supporters really are delicate little flowers aren't they. They carry on about how horrible political correctness is and how we need to get rid of it, and yet they want their feelings catered to at all times, even at the expense of others. 

Soulless monsters. 

[Mercer]

That is ridiculous. The safety pin is a symbol of inclusion and tolerance, not division.

I can't wear a pin of any type at work for safety reasons (if a client becomes escalated, having a sharp object between myself and them is not a good idea for either of us) but I really like the message, and I don't see how it can be construed as anything other than a positive statement of acceptance of differences.

[VixenToast]

At my fast food job, my pin is by the American Flag on my hat. For the School pics job, I have one to put on my lanyard, but I'm not sure I want to create an issue by being obviously liberal in rural Nebraska :eye roll:. Idk. It's not me they would fire,  Lifetouch is based in liberal Minneapolis/St Paul plus the territory office is just outside HRC-won Omaha. No, for whatever reason, the school could kill our contract. So, being an adult, will only wear it in Omaha and especially in Lincoln.  There is a large Muslim population there. Anywhere else? Nah, I'm coo'.

[clueliss]

And parents gave them an earful Monday night.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article117632818.html#storylink=fb_staff