The governor of New York has ordered an investigation after a Long Island teacher was told to take down a pride flag in her classroom after it allegedly made students uncomfortable.
Sarah Ecke, who teaches math at Connetquot High School and coaches multiple sports, had both the traditional rainbow flag and the modern 'progress' pride flag in her classroom. Ecke is also an advisor on the Genders and Sexualities Alliances Club.
The modern progress pride flag includes colors representing transgender pride and people of color and has become the more visible flag in recent years.
Officials with the school district claimed they reacted when they received complaints from students who felt 'uncomfortable' over the flag, which was twice the size of the American flag in the room.
The district had said that Ecke could keep the traditional rainbow flag but asked that she take down the progress flag, according to News 12.
Sarah Ecke (pictured left), who teaches math at Connetquot High School and coaches multiple sports, had both the traditional rainbow flag and the modern 'progress' pride flag in her classroom. Ecke is also an advisor on the Genders and Sexualities Alliances Club
Ecke is also an advisor on the Genders and Sexualities Alliances Club
The modern progress pride flag includes colors representing transgender pride and people of color and has become the more visible flag in recent years
Officials with the school district claimed they reacted when they received complaints from students who felt 'uncomfortable' over the flag, which was twice the size of the American flag in the room
The Progress Pride Flag, designed in 2018 to emphasize 'inclusion and progression'
The rainbow flag was representative of the LGBTQ+ community for decades
In 2018, an updated flag was designed by graphic designer Daniel Quasar
The 'progress pride' flag combines the rainbow, as well as the trans pride colors and black and brown stripes to represent LGBTQ communities of color and members of the queer community lost to or currently living with HIV/AIDS
The new flag has since taken prominence at Pride events and in front of allied homes and businesses
Quasar said he wanted to 'shift focus and emphasis to what is important in our current community climate'
<!- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/us/news/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 - ->AdvertisementConnetquot School District Superintendent Lynda G. Adams responded by trying to remove the flag under a new rule that banned teachers from engaging in political speech.
Adams asked the teacher to remove all flags except for the ones for New York State, the United States, or curriculum-based flags.
LGBT Network of Long Island President Dr. David Kilmick said he brought the incident to Governor Kathy Hochul's attention, spurring the investigation.
The activist says that after a meeting on October 6 with the school's principal Michael A. Moran, Ecke eventually took the flags down.
'The district's actions are a clear violation of the Dignity for All Students Act, and we look forward to an immediate investigation so that our LGBT youth, who are already bullied at higher rates, do not have to suffer one more day in the unsafe and dangerous environment that the Connetquot School District has created,' Kilmnick wrote in a letter.
Hochul - currently running for re-election against Republican Lee Zeldin - put out a statement announcing the investigation
'Gov. Hochul is committed to protecting the human rights of New Yorkers and has directed the Division of Human Rights to investigate potential violations of Human Rights Law in this matter, consistent with the agency's mandate,' reads the statement.
Connetquot School District Superintendent Lynda G. Adams responded by trying to remove the flag under a new rule that banned teachers from engaging in political speech, asking them to remove all flags except for the ones for New York State, the United States, or curriculum-based flags
LGBT Network of Long Island President Dr. David Kilmick (pictured center) said he brought the incident to Governor Kathy Hochul's attention, spurring the investigation
A rally was held by the LGBT Network that included parents and students in protest outside one of the district's middle schools Tuesday, ahead of a school board meeting
The LGBT Network tweeted: 'Together we made our voices heard so that every LGBT youth has a safe space to be their authentic self!'
A rally was held by the LGBT Network that included parents and students in protest outside one of the district's middle schools Tuesday, ahead of a school board meeting.
'Together we made our voices heard so that every LGBT youth has a safe space to be their authentic self!' the group tweeted.
A group of parents also organized a smaller counter-protest in support of the school's actions.
'Let's not bring politics into the school district,' parent Jennifer Locascio told PIX11 News.
RELATED ARTICLES
Woke pediatrician is accused of 'glorifying' suicide of... 
EXCLUSIVE: Miami sex-change surgeon who dubs herself 'Dr...
Share this article
ShareJoanne Minnieer, a member of an activist group called Patriots of Pride, told News 12 the progress flag is disrespectful to gay conservatives.
'We started this because the LGBT community with this one flag - it's a political gain,' Minnieer said.
'It's one thing about having the Pride flag, there's one thing of having the triangle in it - that's all for political gain and it's teaching these kids the wrong stuff.'
The district explained during the meeting that they had asked Ecke to take the flags down during regular class but to put them back up during Genders and Sexualities Alliances Club.
They said that their goal is to 'maintain the feeling that the classroom is a welcoming space for all, while being sensitive to the concerns raised by the students.'
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKaVrMBwrdGtoJyklWJ%2Bcn%2BQa2xucV%2BMvKyxjIWmp59dfsCtrc2dZK2dkZi1pr6Mn6arm5WZerOxzKitnmWYqrSmea%2BrpqCqlajAbpzRopueZZahrqh5wqWYrKuipLyuesetpKU%3D