This Alabama school is being petitioned to remove its pride flag by angry parents

"The flag creates a hostile and provocative learning environment for students not comfortable openly supporting the LGBTQ Community."

"It’s unprofessional for the teachers to openly display their political views in an unbiased and socially neutral public setting– creating a hostile and uncomfortable learning environment."

"The pride flag and the AHS Educate club has served to provide a healthy environment for our LGBT+ peers to feel comfortable being who they truly are. The flag represents this safe space, and frankly, the sentiment for removing the pride flag is an affront to the work that has been done nationally to fight for recognition of the community."

The response from the community here in Auburn, as well as signatures from all over the country has left me completely breathless,”

“The takeaway for me is not whether or not the flag stays up or is taken down. For me, it is extremely important that more than a thousand people were able to come together in solidarity for our LGBT community, here in our high school. The message that sends is stronger than keeping a flag hanging in a classroom window."

"In our country today, people are often seen addressing their objections through violence and hate. It is my sincere desire to assist our students in learning to address their opinions and their values in a calm and respectful manner. This differing of opinions related to the E.D.U.C.A.T.E Club at Auburn High School affords our faculty and students an opportunity to learn and model a civil manner in which to resolve our differences."

"We are looking at this matter from all aspects and would hope that everybody would handle this in a manner that we can deal with it in a way that we can move on and have orderly classroom learning going on."