A year and a half ago, a New Richmond, Ohio, teacher sued her school district after she was suspended for having books with LGBTQ+ characters in her classroom library.
Karen Cahall’s complaint was dismissed in U.S. District Court in October and she is appealing the ruling to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
But she’s taking the lessons learned from that experience to launch the Rainbow Classroom Advocacy Fund. The organization, which has applied for nonprofit status and selected a board, intends to uplift LGBTQ+ inclusion in education by directly supporting students, families and teachers.uplift LGBTQ+ inclusion in education by directly supporting students, families and teachers.
As she pursued legal action against the school district, Cahall educated herself on the challenges LGBTQ+ students face. She realized the extent that people in power – legislatures, school boards, and even parents – are harming queer students through anti-LGBTQ+ policies that increase risks for self-harm.
“It’s almost bullying by proxy,” she told The Buckeye Flame.
Cahall didn’t know how to engage in a lawsuit when she started, and she couldn’t find anyone else helping people like her. She thought a nonprofit dedicated to helping cases like hers instead of relying on crowdfunding as she had. Funding would allow more people to push back against state and federal government attempts to censor LGBTQ+ voices and materials.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen with the lawsuit, but it just has made me feel empowered,” Cahall said. “There are things people can do, and there are ways people can fight back, and I hope that this nonprofit will be kind of a way to rally people together that want to fight.”
Cahall appealed her lawsuit in February regarding the New Richmond school district’s “controversial issues” policy and her resulting suspension.
The Rainbow Classroom Advocacy Fund sets out to provide:
- Direct support for students, families and educators facing discrimination or exclusion
- Advocacy resources for those navigating school-based conflicts related to LGBTQ+ inclusion
- Educational tools to promote affirming and equitable classroom environments
- Networking with allies
The nonprofit’s board would consist of Cahall, her attorney Mark Herron, former New Richmond student Sara Kirschner-Ayers and Columbus-based technology advisor Jacob Nicodemus.
Though access to legal help may still prove challenging, Cahall hopes the Rainbow Classroom Advocacy Fund will signal to queer students that there are adults out there trying to help.
“Every school has students that have same-sex parents [and] students that are in the LGBTQ+ community,” Cahall said. “The students that are having their rights infringed upon need to feel empowered to also access the legal system if they need to.” 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- To learn more about the Rainbow Classroom Advocacy Fund, visit their website here.
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