WalkOut for LGBTQ+ Rights

In their informational article, Liv and Naia explain the events leading up to and results of District 7's recent walkout pertaining to the rights of trans students.

Walkout for LGBTQ+ rights

By Liv Akers & Naia Oliver

On Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, between two and three hundred members of the Grants Pass High School community, students and adults alike, walked out of class in the middle of fifth period in protest of the reinstatement of two teachers at North Middle School, who are known for founding the “I Resolve” movement. Peaceful walkouts also took place at North Middle, South Middle, and Gladiola High School.

Katie Medart and Rachel Damiano, a former science teacher and former assistant principal at North Middle School, posted the first “I Resolve” video to YouTube on March 25, 2021. The movement was in response to the Equality Act and Senate Bill 52. The Equality Act bill would prohibit discrimination based on "sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity" in Oregon public schools and Senate Bill 52 is a student success plan that, in Section 1, claims to be geared towards being "culturally responsive" to LGBTQ+ and other historically underserved populations. The bill acknowledges in Section 2 that a plan is "necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist" in Oregon schools. Damiano and Medart also opposed certain guidance from the Oregon Department of Education that had been released back in 2016 in regards to gender identity. The educators did not elaborate on the contents of said guidance in their video, but Medart expressed discomfort and confusion pertaining to a situation with a student in her classroom requesting to use a different name and pronouns. She proceeded to transition into a hypothetical situation, in which she repeatedly promoted allowing educators to use their power to choose how to gender students.

Their campaign centered around the policies they suggested in the video, which is summarized on their website as a list of resolutions. They believe there are two scientifically recognized anatomical presentations of genders. Additionally, they believe that bathrooms should be re-labeled as “anatomically male” and “anatomically female”. Damiano and Medart also suggest that students may only be called by a different name or pronouns if, one, the name is a derivative of their birth name, and two, they have parental permission with the school to do so. They also added that, due to educators’ first amendment rights, they may still choose to misgender or omit pronouns.

Pictured: Liv Akers, Andrew Quezada, Deenie Bulyalert attending the walkout // Image Source: KOBI5

They were met with enough backlash that, in early April of 2021, they were both placed on leave. At a school board hearing, they attempted to argue that their free speech was being infringed upon and that no board policy had been breached, but Nancy Hungerford, the school district’s attorney, said that the issue was not a question of free speech, but rather of professionalism in the workplace and consequently the discussion shifted. The vote was 4-3, and they were terminated for improper use of school time and resources. Students commented that they felt they were "Finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. We thought we were protected from these teachers who were only seeking to hurt students." Deenie Bulyalert, a junior and president of GPHS' Pride Club, told KOBI5 that “It felt like I was walking into a school that supported me and that I didn’t have to be as afraid anymore."

However, on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, the school board met after reading written appeals from the two educators in a meeting closed to the public. There was another 4-3 vote, this time reversing the July 15th decision and their jobs were reinstated. Despite the attempts to keep the meeting under wraps, word of meeting taking place was advertised via a post to the official I Resolve Instagram page the day beforehand. After the meeting, word of the situation spread amongst members of the district after a district-wide post by superintendent Kirk Kolb stating the results of the closed meeting, and it quickly became news that Damiano and Medart had their jobs back. The GPHS Pride Club responded by organizing a walkout, led by Bulyalert and Evan Tucker, senior and fellow member of the Pride Club.

GPHS Pride Club supporters and those who believed in the cause were asked to wear purple, and any willing students were to walk out of their fifth period class at 1:45 PM on Tuesday, Nov. 16 and meet in front of the school. The organizers advertised over social media and in-person, handing out flyers at school in the days leading up to the event. Word spread quickly amongst students, with students of all grade levels leaving their classes to join the peaceful protest taking place. Some held signs, and others held pride flags, with a wide assortment of identities represented. Bulyalert and Tucker used an electronic megaphone to read out the resolutions being fought for by I Resolve, and what the protest stood for and hoped to accomplish. Bryce Robertson, a senior, led a chant saying, “Trans rights are human rights!”.

Several adult counter-protesters, mostly from religious groups (including a hate group called the RV Salt Shakers), arrived at the scene with signs and began antagonizing students. When the period ended and students were to return to class, roughly 100 community members and students alike remained, as estimated by KOBI5. With the continued presence and harassment of the counter-protestors, A 15-year-old student was reported to have spit in an adult man’s face, and as a result, was detained by police. A 14-year-old that was seen attempting to hit one of the counter-protestors with a broomstick was also detained, and later released to a parent. As the detainment took place, a 19-year-old from Medford attempted to block it, and was arrested. Police claim they only used de-escalation tactics.

Image Source: KTVL

Following the event, Bulyalert, being one of the organizers, provided The Scroll with a statement regarding the goals of the Pride Club for the community as a whole, in conclusion of the situation. “I think this event showed outside people how mad students are. We’re mad that the district we attend school in doesn’t care about us. We are mad that teachers are allowed to get away with breaking policies, policies that impact so many students. The walkout showed a lot of students that they had a community at this school and it is a community of students who are willing to fight for our rights. Moving forward, I want to have more events like this to give students a voice, to let them be heard. This fight isn’t over anytime soon and we will continue to fight until we are given the things we deserve.” Damiano continues to claim that she and Medart did not break policies. An independent investigator hired by the district found otherwise. A legal case regarding the situation is still pending in the court system.

With the district divided, it is unclear what direction the community is headed in. However, the walkout has demonstrated that students and outside supporters in Grants Pass are unhappy with the ways the LGBTQ+ community has been treated. With concerns still left unaddressed about the reinstatement of Medart and Damiano, it seems that the student body will continue to advocate for their rights.

Sources:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5?r=1&s=1https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/SB52https://www.iresolvemovement.com/https://www.opb.org/article/2021/07/16/two-grants-pass-educators-fired-for-violating-district-policy-with-their-i-resolve-campaign/https://kobi5.com/news/local-news/grants-pass-hs-club-plans-walk-out-after-rehiring-of-controversial-i-resolve-educators-173081/https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2021/11/students-adults-clash-at-grants-pass-high-school-protest.htmlhttps://kobi5.com/news/local-news/two-students-one-adult-arrested-during-grants-pass-high-school-walk-out-173307/https://jocogop.org/district-7-school-board-meeting-july-15-2021/

Note:

This article was modified on Dec. 10, 2021 at 10:31 AM to address editing concerns.

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