About

Each May, schools across Santa Cruz County raise the rainbow flag in celebration of Harvey Milk Day to honor the legacy of Harvey Milk, a local gay rights pioneer and California’s first openly gay elected official.

The Santa Cruz COE invites you to join! Each year, educators, students and local dignitaries convene outside COE headquarters for the kickoff flag-raising ceremony. The event is also live streamed on the COE YouTube channel. You can view the 2022 event here.

Harvey Milk Day was designated as a day of special significance in California in 2009 by Governor Schwarzenegger. The Santa Cruz COE has also made a number of age-appropriate curriculum about Harvey Milk and LGBTQ+ history available to teachers in an effort to increase awareness about LGBTQ+ history and celebrate the diversity of all of our students. Watch the recording of our educator preview to learn how educators can get started.

Our policies and procedures are aligned with California Education Code, federal and state laws, standards and frameworks in support of our LGBTQ+ students and their families, just as all of our policies and procedures support a positive school and learning climate for all students and their families.

For more information, contact Rob Darrow, Santa Cruz County Office of Education LGBTQ+ Support Consultant at rdarrow@santacruzcoe.org.

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