School board discusses rainbow flag in Iowa elementary classroom

Public comment at the West Des Moines school board meeting Tuesday night lasted 30 minutes, focusing on concerns about a rainbow flag allegedly displayed in a Jordan Creek Elementary School classroom.

A group called Fathers for Faith and Freedom has called for the school district to investigate the alleged display. It released a press release saying in part:

“A parent who attended a recent back-to-school event reported seeing a Pride flag displayed in a sixth-grade classroom. The parent also reported that student Chromebooks were decorated with colored tape arranged in colors associated with the Pride flag. The parent has stated that he does not currently have photographs of the display. Fathers for Faith & Freedom therefore believes the appropriate response is for the school district to investigate and verify the report.”

Steven Hibbs, founder of Fathers for Faith & Freedom, spoke during the meeting. He questioned whether the flag display in the classroom violates Iowa law, which prohibits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through sixth-grade classrooms.

“For example, if there is a D.A.R.E. poster in a classroom encouraging children not to use drugs, that includes promoting an anti-drug message. So if a symbol specifically associated with sexual orientation is intentionally displayed in a sixth-grade classroom, why would that not also be considered promotion relating to sexual orientation?” Hibbs said.

Colton Hemer-Luebbert, a teacher at Jordan Creek Elementary, said he was the one who had the flag and the taped Chromebooks in his classroom. He spoke after the public comment session, explaining that the flag was a decoration and not part of his curriculum.

“That is the city of Des Moines flag. It is also the pride colors, along with brown and black and pink and blue. And so it represents just more than pride. It represents that all of our students are seen no matter the color of their skin. It represents that all of our students are seen no matter who they are,” Hemer-Luebbert said.

Hemer-Luebbert also said the colored tape on the Chromebooks was a color-coding system to help students return them after use.

Other speakers at the meeting included current and former educators, members of the city’s Human Rights Commission, and parents who supported the display.

The school board told attendees it would respond to their comments at a later date.

In a statement issued before the meeting, the district said:

WDMCS is aware of a concern raised by an outside organization regarding a classroom display. District leadership and building administration are looking into the concern.