Pride Flags in Public Schools: Evolving Legal Issues to Consider

The media has featured “controversies” over pride flags in public schools. Although some of these attempts to ban pride flags have been initiated at the state level, other efforts have occurred at the local level when school boards have tried to adopt policies banning pride flags. Parents have also challenged schools that display pride flags. Although there is no U.S. Supreme Court case that addresses this issue, litigation that has arisen in other related contexts (e.g., parental rights, teacher speech) may provide some guidance on this topic. A few different legal issues that provide insight into this topic are briefly explored.