Forest Lake school board debates repealing dress code ban on hate symbols
A northern Twin Cities school dress code debate drew large crowds and criticism at a school board meeting on Thursday evening.
Forest Lake school leaders are considering repealing the ban on wearing clothing that displays the Confederate flag, swastika and KKK signs.
"It will 100% impact the decision on where I send my children," said one parent at Thursday's school board meeting.
It's a tense topic at the Forest Lake Area School District school board meeting.
"The proposed dress code changes are based on the Minnesota school board association policy, and 99% of schools in Minnesota," said president Curt Rebelein.
Rebelein discussed a dress code policy that would mirror the association's language, which removes specific bans on symbols like the KKK, the Confederate flag and more.
"Based on directives from the Supreme Court of the United States and provides latitude for student expression and limitations around to ensure a positive learning environment for all students," he said.
The board room wasn't even big enough for the size of the crowd that showed up on Thursday, filled with students and former board members.
"Where do we draw the line? Where?" one student told WCCO.
"We need to start going back the direction of making every child feel included," said a former board member.
Even a former superintendent attended. They were a teacher at the time the initial dress code was created, after an African American student was assaulted by students in 1997. The next day, students wore white shirts to show support for the attack.
"It has bounced back and forth, which is why it's getting so much attention," the former board member said.
In a statement released on Thursday, Forest Lake Mayor Blake Roberts said he's appalled by the movement to repeal the policy.
"The current policy has served the district well for 20 plus years. The idea that we are even considering a change to allow symbols of hate, genocide and lynching, is sickening," Roberts said. "This is not Forest Lake, and I strongly urge the school board to do the right thing this evening and prove to the community they do not endorse the right for individuals promote hate and racism."
Ultimately, the board voted to send the proposed dress code policy back to the policy committee so they could be more specific with what the rule changes would mean.
They won't meet until this fall, which means there are no new rule changes heading into the school year.
