Forest Lake School Board considers repealing hate symbols ban
MN school considering repealing hate speech clothing ban
The Forest Lake School Board is debating repealing a school policy that bans hate speech on clothing.
FOREST LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minnesota school district is considering repealing a ban on wearing or displaying the confederate flag, swastikas and KKK signs or symbols on school property, which is drawing outrage from some residents.
Forest Lake schools policy proposal
Local perspective:
The Forest Lake School Board on Thursday discussed the school policy, which currently states "the following are prohibited on school property or at school sponsored events: Wearing or displaying confederate flag, swastika and KKK signs or symbols."
The school board is considering repealing the ban, which could lead to students wearing clothing with these images to school and school events.
Ultimately, the school board voted to send the proposal back to the policy committee, which can dig into more specifics.
The rules if the ban is removed
What's next:
If the school board does vote to remove the ban, there are still some guardrails in place, but it would depend on the school.
"Administration will continue to have the discretion to prohibit anything material that disrupts the educational process," said Forest Lake School Board President Curt Rebelein.
Forest Lake School Board faces backlash
What they're saying:
At Thursday's school board meeting, public comment went on for an hour with many expressing concerns about the proposed school policy change, stressing there's a reason the policy was put into place nearly 30 years ago.
"I'm extremely embarrassed and frustrated that in 2025 we have elected officials who are even considering the idea of allowing hate symbols in our school," said Jenny R. during the public comment period on Thursday.
Forest Lake residents who spoke up made it clear they don't want the ban on confederate flags, swastikas and KKK signs or symbols to be removed, with some speakers taking aim at school board members.
"If you are unable to leave your personal religious ideology or racist, transphobic, homophobic etc. views at the door when sitting in those chairs, I cordially invite you to resign from your position immediately," Jenny R. added.
The school policy went into effect in 1997 because of a racial incident.
"The reason that this policy exists is because a Black kid was beaten for being Black in a Forest Lake high school in the '90s," said Allison R.
Parents from conservative to progressive views all stood united.
"It is a gigantic leap to compare a kid wearing a pride shirt to a swastika. Clearly, we can draw a distinction between the two and the dress code does not need to be all or nothing," said Jessie J.
The school board was going to stop public comment due to people clapping but one speaker took things into his own hands.
"You can stand up, figuratively or literally, and be counted. Tell this board. One, keep the existing ban on hate symbols. Two, restore all student clubs our children are watching and so is the wider world," said Paul P.
Forest Lake leaders react to proposal
Dig deeper:
Forest Lake Mayor Blake Roberts at Monday's Forest Lake City Council meeting was vocal abut the proposal to remove the ban.
"This is not Forest Lake, 99% of the people in this city are appalled by that. Even the idea of doing this in the conversation of that," Roberts said.
FOX 9 reached out to every Forest Lake School Board member, including the four conservative majority members on the board – President Curt Rebelein Jr, Vice President Luke Hagglund, Clerk Tessa Antonsen, and Treasurer Mark Kasel -- but they did not respond.
Only one board member was available for an interview. Gail Theisen, a Forest Lake School Board member, said she is against repealing the ban.
"I urged my fellow board members to unite with me and vote yes for the policy, as it read in our board packet with those symbols in there," Theisen said.