To the Editor:

One year ago, on the first day of Pride Month, the original objector to Flamer made an inflammatory post about a teacher offering extra credit to students who chose to exercise their right to support causes and don a rainbow. The reason this was not permitted was because the extra credit was not tied to curriculum, a stance which can be argued.

Beyond that, however, were calls for the teacher to be fired, “make rainbows straight again” and other extreme goals.

This is the demonstrated history of homophobia aggressively pushed by a small number of local political activists whose outsized influence on — and inclusion of — board members threatens the legitimacy of the board itself. None of us should overlook this or take it lightly.

That original objector is now the admin of the Newtown Educators Supporters page. This individual created multiple online profiles to respond to herself when not enough activity is present in the comment section for the purpose of manipulating social media visibility algorithms as well as craft the illusion of public support.

LGBTQ youth have spoken. Parents have spoken. Educators have spoken. The special committee has spoken. The Superintendent has spoken. It would appear that the breadth of the community supports keeping the books.

Books which lay bare the terrible actions and consequences of bullies.

To the teen who posed a question to the banners at the rally in support of our educators: “What are you afraid of?”

They’re not scared of seeing you. They’re afraid of seeing themselves in the bullies rather than evolving protagonists. It is clear that the very sort of bullying the books discuss is being employed by this aggressive homophobic minority. To see the chair of the BOE take time to say “stop the bullying” in defense of a woman who is an adult bully in every sense of the word is the real perversion here.

May we recognize the tactics of an aggressive homophobic minority trying to bully a Newtown which doesn’t share its values and be undeterred. May we celebrate the benefits of reading. And may we appreciate the windows and mirrors when faced with closets and doors.

Nerlande Foote

Newtown