PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The Superintendent of Pasco County schools says the district will no longer utilize “safe spaces” and will no longer display “safe space” stickers.
These stickers show Pasco County as a rainbow flag and says, "This is a safe space for all, including all genders, orientations, identities, abilities, cultures, and backgrounds." It also shows the Pasco County Schools logo.
Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning said in a letter to staff on Thursday that this is a direct response to the state's new parental rights education law, which requires school officials to notify parents of changes in their child's behavior.
"Recent legislation requires that we notify parents whenever there is a change in a student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student," Browning said.
Browning argued that the safe spaces make it unclear to staff when a student's behavior warrants reporting.
"There is a concern that a student’s presence in a designated 'safe space' could trigger a duty for Pasco County Schools staff to notify a parent of a potential change in their child’s well-being," he said.
Browning also said the spaces could present confusion for both teachers and students.
"There also is a concern that a student might mistakenly believe that a conversation in a designated 'space' will not be disclosed to their parent, which could be in violation of the law. Given the difficulty of determining whether a student’s presence in a limited, designated 'safe space' location is as an indicator of a student’s emotional or mental well-being, our district will discontinue the utilization of such limited spaces to avoid misinterpretation and a potential violation of the law," Browning said.
Some parents have been asking for the safe space stickers to be banned at school board meetings for the last year, according to Cathy Julian, a leader of the Conservative Pasco Watch Group.
"I think it's a good thing," Julian said. "Schools should be safe spaces; they should not have safe spaces."
Browning acknowledged in his letter that the stickers had become a distraction.
"The 'safe space' stickers will be removed, as they have become a flashpoint that distracts from our goals of creating a school-wide and district-wide safe environment," he said.
However, Manatee County kindergarten teacher Corey Bernaert, a member of the LGBTQ+ community and vocal opponent of the new parental rights in education law, said safe spaces could be a beacon for kids who need a trusted adult.
"If I was in middle school or high school and I saw one of those safe place stickers on one of my teacher's doors, that would've been an outlet for me knowing that I was in safe company," Bernaert said. "When we take away [students'] ability to just be open and honest with their teachers, we're really doing some physical mental social harm to our students."
He said he believes school districts are under pressure and the problem remains within the law itself.
"The school districts are afraid, the teachers are afraid," Bernaert said. "So they are preemptively taking action."
Read Superintendent Kurt Browning's full letter below:
Pasco County Schools has a diverse population of students, staff, and parents, and as a school district we respect and support the diversity of views and lifestyle choices. It is important that we make our support evident in policy and in practice, and that we reiterate our commitment to supporting all students.
Recent legislation requires that we notify parents whenever there is a change in a student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.
There is a concern that a student’s presence in a designated “safe space” could trigger a duty for Pasco County Schools staff to notify a parent of a potential change in their child’s well-being. There also is a concern that a student might mistakenly believe that a conversation in a designated “space” will not be disclosed to their parent, which could be in violation of the law. Given the difficulty of determining whether a student’s presence in a limited, designated “safe space” location is as an indicator of a student’s emotional or mental well-being, our district will discontinue the utilization of such limited spaces to avoid misinterpretation and a potential violation of the law. Under the new legislation, a parent may bring an action in court for “damages. . . attorney fees and court costs” stemming from a violation of these parental rights.
Therefore, our school district will no longer utilize “safe spaces” and will no longer display “safe space” stickers. The “safe space” stickers will be removed, as they have become a flashpoint that distracts from our goals of creating a school-wide and districtwide safe environment. Additionally, to ensure compliance with recent legislation, staff are not to provide any materials to students that would impact a parent’s right to direct the upbringing, moral training, religious training, and care of their minor children.
It is in the best interests of the district, teachers, and students that we comply with the recent legislation. And it is in everyone’s best interest that we communicate clearly that we support all our students and that all areas of our campuses are safe places.
To promote and maintain a tolerant and diverse educational environment, our students, staff, and parents must continue to comply with Pasco County Schools’ prohibition against discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Please review SB Policies 5517 (Anti-Harassment), 5517.01 (Anti-Bullying), and 2260 (Non-Discrimination), or contact your school administrator for additional information regarding the enforcement of the above-listed policies. Doing so will promote a safe and healthy learning environment where all our students and staff, regardless of individual belief systems, can gather for the purposes of obtaining a world class education. All questions regarding this should be directed to this link.