By Meghan Serceki
Controversy over a “safe space” decal in a Texas classroom has brought to light the extent to which the censorship of LGBTQ+ topics is affecting the educational system — obscuring messages of acceptance and security
Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill has drawn attention to attempts to censor LGBTQ+ visibility in schools, but as we fight against it criticism seems only to get harsher. While these laws have been around for years, over 20 states are now trying to pass new ones.
Amidst this, in September, MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas suspended educator Rachelle Stonecipher, pending dismissal, for displaying a “Safe Space” sticker on her door. Soon after, the administration began forcibly removing these stickers from other classroom doors.
Students staged a walkout protesting the act, pointing out that designating safe spaces is not a political act but rather a display of acceptance. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “safe space” as “a place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.”
Despite this being a call to accept and support all students, the district is moving forward with disciplinary action against Stonecipher and may finalize her dismissal this week. In an official statement, the district stated that “Labeling certain classrooms as safe havens for certain groups could communicate to students who do not see themselves reflected in that classroom’s decorations that they are unwanted or unsafe in those rooms.”
Schools should inherently be safe spaces, but unfortunately, queer students still don’t experience that. These simple signs signal support and a regulated environment where they can be themselves without fear of harm. Education is a human right. All people should be awarded a safe environment to grow and learn.