Pride flags could be prohibited in Sanger Unified classrooms under a recently revised district policy that requires individual school principals to determine whether the flags are allowed “on a case-by-case basis.”

The policy drew sharp criticism this week from community members and Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez, whose district includes a Sanger Unified school. Chavez objected to the policy in a letter to Sanger Unified’s superintendent and board of trustees, critiquing what he called a “targeted ban” on personal items related to the LGBTQ community.

In an interview Friday with The Bee’s Education Lab, Superintendent Adela Jones took issue with Chavez’s characterization of the policy.

“The word ‘ban’ bothers me,” she said, “because we’re not banning anything.”

The board’s policy, which was updated in September following recommendations from the California School Boards Association, states that teachers must use their “professional judgment” alongside their principal to determine the appropriateness of instructional materials in the classroom.

When asked about whether Pride flags would be allowed in classrooms under the policy, Jones said the district “can’t capture everything in just one statement like that,” and that teachers and principals will have those conversations.

“If there’s large items up on the wall that don’t pertain to what you’re teaching,” she said, “that’s what we’re talking about. We’re not talking about your key chain or your desk.”

District officials did not rule out the possibility that Pride flags could be prohibited in some cases.

Staff were briefed on the policy in October, according to Jones. A Sanger Unified teachers union representative could not immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Deputy Superintendent Eduardo Martinez added that the policy is about maintaining a “content-oriented environment” in classrooms.

“When you’re providing instruction, there has to be that restraint as educators,” Martinez said, “to not allow my personal beliefs, my personal religion, to be infused into that instruction.”

Community members have challenged the idea that an individual’s identity could be “political” or “controversial,” however.

At Sanger’s board meeting Tuesday, 17 people — including current students, alumni and LGBTQ activists from the Central Valley blasted the policy for discouraging teachers from showing students they’re LGBTQ allies, which students can take as a sign they’re safe and accepted.

Removing or prohibiting flags and banners could send the opposite message, advocates said, delivering a blow to LGBTQ youth who research shows already experience suicidal thoughts at a higher rate than their peers.

In conjunction with these advocates, Chavez said his goal is for Sanger Unified to modify their policy to be more inclusive.

“The last thing we want to do is even give the perception — even if that’s not the intent, but give the perception — that we’re not accepting of our LGBT youth,” Chavez told the Ed Lab. “I’m looking forward to working with (Sanger Unified) and starting that dialogue.”

District leaders said that they first heard about Chavez’s letter from the media, however, and hadn’t received a copy themselves until Friday morning.

Chavez clarified in an interview Friday afternoon that his team had sent the letter to a general district inbox Thursday night and forwarded the message to the superintendent and board of trustees directly the following morning upon request.

Sanger Unified isn’t the only district to have recently updated board policy on “controversial issues” — or to have received backlash for it.

Clovis Unified’s “Display of Personal Items in the Workplace” clause was updated in October and restricts employees from displaying any item reflecting “politics, religion, social movements and/or personal ethics” in plain view.

The California Teachers Association has threatened to take legal action against the district if it doesn’t revoke the policy.

As for Sanger’s policy, Chavez said he plans to circle back with district leaders next week after having an initial conversation Friday.

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The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at its website.