Exclusive: Parent Speaks Out After Students Stop Florida School From Covering Up Yearbook Photos of “Don’t Say Gay” Protest

A Florida high school tried to censor its yearbook due to photos showing students holding a rainbow flag and a “Love is Love” sign during a protest against the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. According to school officials, the protest was “not sanctioned” by the school board.

However, the Seminole County School Board has since unanimously agreed to place a “disclaimer sticker” on the yearbook page rather than covering up the entire page. The stickers will be used to clarify that the walkout was not sanctioned.

Bob O’ Leary, a parent of a student who attends Lyman High School took to Facebook to share his concerns, stating, “Lyman Principal Michael Hunter is sending the wrong message. Sanctioned or not the protest did occur.” He felt that it was the student journalists’ duty to include what actually took place. He continued to share his concern comparing this situation to Covid or a school shooting stating, “Should Covid be ignored? I doubt the school board sanctioned that!”

Bob told Baller Alert he sent the school’s principal an email following the yearbook hold. As a previous editor, O’Leary stated. “It taught the wrong lesson to both the yearbook staff and the rest of the students. The pictures weren’t necessarily giving an opinion as much as capturing an event. I can see justification for the stickers if the pictures were editorializing, but I didn’t see them doing that. It was capturing a moment.”

School board members were in favor of the students. The school board’s Vice-Chair Abby Sanchez called it the most ridiculous thing and shared that “everyday” she learns from the students.