FLINT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Equality badges have been showing up at southeast Michigan schools in Fenton, Michigan and both teachers and staff have been wearing them. The badges say “Equality; Stronger Together” and feature a wheelchair symbol for the “Q” (International Symbol of Access), a rainbow pattern in all of the letters, what appears to be a black power fist for the “I” and a gender-neutral symbol for the “T.” The badges can be seen in a Mid-Michigan Now report which shows the badge images which relate mostly to racial and sexual identities.

These types of badges and progressive identity labels are being used in Fenton and in other schools in order to create “safe spaces” for students who want to talk about difficult topics like race, sexuality and gender issues. However, some schools are being stopped from using equality or equity-type labels and advocacy. A Florida school removed LGBTQ stickers and posters last year from classroom windows, walls and doors after the rollout of the Parental Rights in Education Act which stopped the discussion and curricula about gender identity and sexual orientation.

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Michigan has no such law. In fact, the Michigan Democrat party and Governor Gretchen Whitmer have made their support of gender issues and DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) top priorities in the state.

Fenton area schools, which are about an hour northwest of Detroit, held a Board of Education meeting last Monday and more than 200 teachers, staff, students and community members showed up for public comment on the issue with both support and opposition to the badges.

The badges are not offered, required or banned by the school – but are instead made and handed out to the teachers and staff by their teacher’s union. Because the board meeting was packed, public comment went on for almost an hour-and-a-half. Supporters of the badges wore read shirts at the meeting and it was standing room only at the meeting with about 230 people showing up in the Fenton High School Library and others spilling out into the hallway. The MEA (Michigan Education Association) reports that of the 30 speakers at the meeting, 25 of them spoke in support of the educators and the badges.

Chuck Miller, VP of the Fenton Education Association and a Fenton High School teacher said that the badges are meant to indicate that the wearer is safe to speak with and that the students will be met with kindness instead of judgment. He said, “I think it allows students to see that they’re – to let them be known that they’re seen and just that they’re not invisible…I think that goes a long way in building community.”

Heidi Ciesielski, the superintendent of Fenton Area Schools said at the meeting, “Building that environment is having schools and classrooms where all students feel cared about included and supported, where diversity of thought, culture and background that defines us all is the more all children and adults feel they belong. Sure we can all agree on that.” She said that the district stands by the teachers who decide to wear the badge.

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A student at the meeting said, “I know students who are gay, transgender have been sexually harassed, struggling with depression, and are looking for a support system regardless of their identity. Teachers for many students are fundamental role models.”

Others at the meeting were skeptical of the agenda behind the badges. One male speaker said, “The colorful symbols used to spell out the word ‘equality’ are in most cases age inappropriate, they’re culturally divisive, not inclusive of all students, disparaging of those not listed, potentially racist, and the symbol representing the letter ’t’ promotes an absolute falsehood – the male and female sex symbol are not equivalent. Everyone knows this.”

A female speaker said, “Many in our community believe wearing these badges is only politicizing the classroom and putting the teachers in a position to have conversations with students who should be having them at home with their parents, guardians or a licensed professional.” She went on to say, “This is not about being gay or straight or equality. It’s about a parent’s right to choose and about the safety of our youth.”

Another woman in the audience said, “I definitely have absolute utter compassion for the LGBTQ community, but there are definitely concerns with Fenton schools not following policy that they already have in place.”

The school board didn’t take any action regarding the badges at the meeting. Their next board meeting is scheduled for May 1st.

Labeling people and businesses as supportive of certain progressive issues seems to be a new trend all across the country. Not only is there a push to have a business climate dominated by ESG scores (Environmental, Social and Governance), there are also companies like Amazon who give “black-owned business” badges to companies to segregate them from other businesses.

And there are schools like the University of Arkansas who have developed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Badge Program where students can earn “badges” in awareness, engagement and championing DEI. The school lists the program as helping the students to “increase their cultural competency, become DEI advocates and engage effectively with individuals from all backgrounds.”

This new march towards what the progressives call inclusion is often labeled by them as DEI. But instead of the letters standing for “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” some say that it is more like what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis calls, “Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination.”