A Highline District parent has recently filed a legal complaint with Highline’s Chief Policy and Strategy Officer, Holly Ferguson, demanding officials cease and desist political and religious advocacy in the schools in violation of the First and 14th Amendments of the Constitution. After warning the district repeatedly in the 2021-22 school year, this Highline parent felt he had no choice but to seek legal remedy.
At issue are prominently displayed posters in his children’s school that state, “Educators standing with LGBTQ+ Students” with a “progress pride flag.” LGBTQ stands for lesbian, “gay” (homosexual), bisexual, trans-sexual, and queer. Not only does this raise the specter of inappropriately accentuating sexual issues in elementary schools (which is not appropriate in any academic setting), but it causes division by leaving out the vast majority of students. Due to its exclusive language, one can logically conclude that teachers do not stand with the other students, who are the vast majority. Yet another issue is the lionizing of sexual practices that constitute a “new religion” that is offensive to the practice and faith of the majority of the children in our schools — whether traditional Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or other world religions.
We hope the Highline School district will comply with the cease and desist order as requested by this Highline parent and stop propping up and proselytizing with divisive religious speech in violation of constitutional rights, equal protection, and the First Amendment.
Sincerely,
Gem Citizen Journalist
