HARTLAND, Wis. — Arrowhead School Board passed a new policy Wednesday evening that will cut back on what teachers can display in their classrooms, including "safe space" signs.
After almost three hours of debating and hearing comments from the public, the district voted in favor of banning any signage or postings that implies that a certain area is a safe space.
The policy, which six board members voted in favor of and three opposed, states that specifying certain areas as "safe zones" for some or promoting one group over others, can create a feeling of isolation and division.
Before the decision was made, dozens of teachers, students, parents, and others filled the Arrowhead South Library. Many of them voiced strongly whether they supported or opposed the policy.
"My child is scared as hell to come here because she doesn’t feel like there’s going to be a safe place for her," said one parent.
"These people have tried to hijack our schools for too long. Safe spaces are nothing more than places that dumb down our citizenry and our students," said another.
Board members say they received feedback from other school districts who recently adopted similar legislation before drafting the final policy.
The policy is expected to go into effect ahead of the 2023-24 school year.
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