Westwood HS student creates petition to allow Pride sign at school
The district says the Pride sign violates the school’s flag policy.
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A Westwood High School student has started a petition to allow Pride signs to be displayed at the school for Pride Month.
Signs for Pride have been popping up all over town this month. But a sign that had the word “PRIDE” over rainbow colors was ordered to be removed from school grounds.
Senior Mackenzie Fox, who is openly gay, put together a petition on Change.org. It now has over 1,200 signatures.
"Please sign this petition to show the Superintendent, Mr. Rota, that the Pride sign is supported by the students and would be a welcome addition to the front lawn,” Fox wrote in the petition.
Fox is a student representative on the Westwood School Board.
She says that the school board said that the sign violates the school’s flag policy and that only the United States and New Jersey flags are allowed on school grounds.
"Because a sign depicting a flag qualifies as a flag, which I obviously disagree with," Fox says. "I think a lot of my classmates and community also disagreed with it."
Some teachers, like Kelly O'Connor who teaches at an elementary school in Westwood, also want the signs reinstated.
"Really what it shows is that everyone is welcome everyone is included and we love and support all of you and you belong here no matter what," O'Connor says.
She says that she believes many adults are dismissing the needs of the students, adding that not every child receives support at home.
News 12 New Jersey has reached out to the Westwood School District for comment but did not hear back.
