Photo by Karin Elton Comments in support of a flag display including a rainbow flag representing LGBT students drew applause from many audience members at a meeting of the Marshall School Board on Monday afternoon. More than 50 people were in attendance.

MARSHALL — It was hung up as part of a show of inclusiveness for students at Marshall Middle School. But community members at a Marshall School Board meeting on Monday said a rainbow flag at the school meant more than that. It was a sign that all students are safe and welcome at the school, they said.

“Kids can walk by the flag and know they are safe in those hallways,” said Devon Palmer, speaking during a public forum at the school board meeting.

More than 50 people — a standing-room only crowd — attended the meeting to speak out about a rainbow flag hung in the Marshall Middle School cafeteria. The rainbow flag, which is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride, was part of a display of flags representing the diverse backgrounds of MMS students. Besides the rainbow flag, flags of many different nations, including the U.S., currently hang around the top of the cafeteria walls.

The flag display was part of a project focused on inclusivity at the middle school, School Board Chairman Jeff Chapman said Monday. Chapman and Marshall Superintendent Scott Monson said they learned about the flag display in the weeks after students returned to school from winter break.

Close to 20 people spoke to the school board during a public comment period at the meeting. The flag display wasn’t on the board’s agenda Monday, and Chapman told members of the public that the school board could only listen to the comments. The board couldn’t answer questions, and for privacy reasons the board could not share information related to specific students or staff at the meeting.

Most of the community members speaking at the meeting supported the rainbow flag being displayed at the school. Several speakers said they had an LGBT child or loved one who was bullied, or who struggled with depression, self-harm or suicide attempts. Speakers said those mental health risks don’t come from being LGBT, but rather from young people feeling rejected for who they are.

“This is not about a flag. This is about the safety of our students,” said Marshall teacher Karrie Alberts. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24, Alberts said.

A few past MMS students, like Palmer and Mary Jean Porter, said their experiences in middle school were very difficult.

“I didn’t have anyone at the school to defend the person that I was,” Porter said.

Having some way to know that the school supported LGBT students would have made a big difference, they said. If the flag had been on display when he attended MMS, “It would have had such a positive effect,” Palmer said.

Some speakers, like Julie Allen, thanked MMS administrators and staff for showing support for LGBT youth.

“I thank (MMS Principal) Mary Kay Thomas, and I thank the teachers at Marshall Middle School for making our students feel safe,” Allen said.

A few speakers questioned the flag display. Morgan Saugstad said she felt “It just kind of divides the school, into kids for and against” the display. Having a support group or other resources for LGBT students might be better, she said.

Grant Blomberg said he also wanted equality for all students – but by putting up the display, he said, the school was excluding students without a representative flag.

“You exclude the majority,” Blomberg said. “If we’re going to include some (students), let’s include all.”

Blomberg also said he thought it was interesting that the Marshall School Board and superintendent didn’t know about the flag display right away.

School board members didn’t discuss or take action on the rainbow flag at Monday’s meeting. However, “We’re working on a solution,” Chapman said after the meeting. Monson said at this point, it’s not certain if the flag issue will be addressed at a future school board meeting.