To the editor:

In his 11/9/21 letter, Mr. Thom shares his fear that public school employees are “affirming and celebrating LGBTQ ideology.” To affirm means to state as a fact. Employees of companies who provide equal educational opportunities (as New Ulm Public Schools does per its listed policy) are legally required to affirm the rights of LGBTQ students. In accordance with the 2017 Toolkit for Safe and Supportive Schools published by the Minnesota Department of Education, this does in fact include using a student’s preferred pronouns and recognizing each student’s gender expression, both of which Mr. Thom falsely stated are not within a student’s rights. Furthermore, the term “ideology” refers to a set of systems or beliefs, such as the religious views Mr. Thom frequently cites as the basis for his concerns. “Ideology” does not refer to innate pieces of a person, such as gender expression or sexual orientation; referring to these as “ideology” or “lifestyle” does not change the simple fact that these parts of a person are legally protected in a public setting. As far as celebrating goes, I’m not sure if Mr. Thom’s continued vocal interest in the local LGBTQ community has made him privy to some party invites that I’ve missed, but treating individuals with basic dignity and respect hardly qualifies as a celebration in my humble opinion.

As Mrs. Thom stated in her 11/9/21 letter, transgendered citizens of our communnity have as much value as anyone else. This is a perfect example of affirming the rights of LGBTQ students. This is a simple message of respect for others, despite differences. No one is demanding that LGBTQ students be accepted by others; if an individual chooses to twist their religion or personal opinion into an excuse for being unkind towards those who are different from themselves then that is their prerogative. Within a public school setting, however, every individual must still treat ALL humans with respect. Kindness, compassion, and empathy towards others are not a “red flag”.

Casey McMullen

New Ulm