by Matt Wright
An LGBTQ Club for Lakeland middle school children was once again the hot topic of a school board meeting. The special called meeting, held at city hall Tuesday evening, attracted approximately forty people from Lakeland and Memphis.
The club, which was originally called the GSA Club (Gay Straight Alliance), has since been changed to the Allies of Diversity Club. Tuesday’s meeting is the third meeting since December with the club formation being the central topic of discussion.
Both residents of Lakeland and Memphis were allowed to speak to the board, with a wide variety of opinions provided. The Club sponsor, LPS drama teacher Mandy Christopher, had a letter read to the board through her Memphis based attorney. In the letter, Ms. Christopher said students at Lakeland Preparatory School need a safe space and that it’s not just a teacher’s job to teach as many parents have said. Ms. Christopher also addressed the TikTok video of her and a middle school student in a parked car saying she did nothing wrong. More about that story can be found here.
An 8th grade student at Lakeland told the board she is harassed and bullied at school for being “openly non-binary and gay.” She also claimed she’s experienced more bullying at Lakeland than any other school she’s attended. The student said she plans on switching schools next year. Later in the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Ted Horrell said he was not aware of wide spread bullying problems but that he takes it very seriously. He and the board encouraged students and parents to report any bullying issues thru the “Stop It” app available on the school website. The student finished by praising Ms. Christopher saying, “she is creating this safe space for me which people are trying to take away.”
LGBTQ advocates from Memphis also attended and were allowed to speak to the board. Molly Quinn, the Executive Director of the LGBTQ Center in Memphis, said she was in favor of the club for Lakeland students. She told the board many of the kids they help don’t have parents, some live on the streets and they are often suicidal.
Lakeland parents opposed to the club spoke during the time for public comments saying they believe the club is about sexuality, something inappropriate for middle school. Former Lakeland Mayor Wyatt Bunker once again spoke in opposition to the middle school club saying indoctrination was still likely in his opinion. “There’s some fear out there that you have the same product, same sponsor, under a different name. That GSA club was going to be used to indoctrinate kids, I know a lot of people here deny that but that’s exactly what it was going to do,” Mr. Bunker told the board.
After public comments the school board asked Mr. Chuck Cagle, a public education attorney, to render his opinion about the legality of the club. Mr. Cagle said the club is protected under the Equal Access law and if you allow one noncurricular club you must allow them all for any secondary education grade. That is the same position already stated by the Lakeland School Board at previous meetings. Currently, secondary education is defined in Tennessee as 7th thru 12th grade. Mr. Cagle told the board that legally the club cannot have a “sponsor” but rather a “monitor”. He said the club monitor cannot indoctrinate students and they are there simply to observe the students. According to an earlier statement by the school, seven teachers have agreed to sponsor the LGBTQ club for Lakeland middle school students. School board Chairman Kevin Floyd asked Mr. Cagle what if the sponsors did get involved as opposed to simply monitoring the club. Mr. Cagle told the board there would need to be a suspension of service to that teacher otherwise the school’s federal funding would be in jeopardy.
School board member Deborah Thomas spoke in favor of the club saying it was important to provide a safe space for these students while board member Laura Harrison told the crowd “We are going to follow the law.”
While no official action was taken, the board did seem to favor the idea of limiting the club to 7th and 8th grades (as well as upcoming high school grades) since those grades fall under the Tennessee definition of secondary education.
To watch the full board meeting, please click here.
