Mass text sent urging people to oppose LGBTQ policies at school district

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News

Some community members in Southwest Florida received a text message encouraging them to make their voices heard on a controversial school district policy. It included a flyer that lays out different ways schools can support LGBTQ students.

This all stems from controversy related to The School District of Lee County’s 2020-21 student code of conduct with policies to support LGTBQ students on school campuses.

The public will have a chance to weigh in on the 2021-22 student code of conduct Monday at the Lee County School Board meeting.

It’s unconfirmed how many people received a mass text message from a number that can receive return calls, but it’s part of an ongoing fight with the District over its flyer seen in schools, in part, explaining transgender students using bathrooms of their choosing.

Parents and community members showed up in large numbers at last week’s school board meeting to protest the flyer.

The dispute over the content and policies in Lee County schools has not seen its end.

A text message sent out Friday evening to community members asked them, once again, to voice their opposition.

While Tim Scoff is annoyed and confused why he’s on the list to receive these text messages, he supports the efforts.

“As somebody who used to be a teenage boy, I can see teenage boys abusing that,” Scoff said. “I’m much more in favor of standalone bathrooms to solve that particular issue.”

Some have said they believe the case-by-case bathroom policy adds confusion for students.

Middle school student Carolina Pastor said that’s not true. She’s supportive.

“If they feel like they’re a girl like us, they can because everybody has to have the equal rights,” Pastor said. “Do the stuff that makes you happy. Don’t worry about the other people’s opinions.”

The District said there’s a lot of misinformation going around about its current policies. For example, LGBTQ education is not part of the classroom curriculum.

But some still see a need to oppose current policies.

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