To the editor:

Jim Muchlinski’s recent “Opinion” column (7/15/23), “Radical parents shouldn’t be allowed to dictate school policy”, included his thoughts on the debate over the display of the Rainbow Flag at the Marshall Middle School.

Jim felt positive that the disagreement over this “moral issue” did not “come from a national special interest group” but “from the grass roots.” His suggestion: “Let our local community have a dialogue and hopefully come together for a mutually acceptable solution.”

I think the parents of the Middle School students, staff and community members would greatly appreciate the opportunity to have a dialogue. with, as Jim stated, “enough flexibility to uphold standards of tolerance, mutual respect and human dignity.”

The Rainbow Flag includes support of homosexual relationships. In a public setting, according to our freedom of religion, a display “cannot favor a non-religion, or religious belief over another religion.” Genesis 2:22-24 from the Bible, contains the words Adam spoke when God brought Eve to him. Jesus repeated those words as God’s Word in Matthew 19:4-6. In other places in the Bible, homosexuality is specifically forbidden.

Public schools were designed for the instruction of all children without regard to religious beliefs, in contrast to private religious schools. A lawsuit settlement has already deemed the Rainbow Flag “not viewpoint neutral” . Parents, staff and community understood the words, “The flag will be removed from the cafeteria.” to mean from the school. Displayed in a glass case, next to the 8th grade classroom, the letters LGBTQG are defined next to the Rainbow Flag, with the addition of the letters “I– Intersex” and “A — Asexual or Ally”.

“The most important thing is to do what’s best for kids,” Jim concluded in his column. “They’re society’s future.” KIds, adults — we all need to know how to practice respect for each other– honoring differences without resorting to bullying, angry words or violence.

A community dialogue on the Rainbow Flag subject, can hopefully take place before a new school year begins.

Trudy Madetzke

Marshall