Superintendent Champ changes policy for staff to bar any apparel representing political speech
Pelham Memorial High School
Pelham Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ defined a no-tolerance policy barring staff from wearing apparel that includes any political speech and addressed community concerns related to the district’s approach to political messaging in an email sent to parents and students Thursday.
Champ issued the new policy in an email to staff on Sunday, saying in Thursday’s message “implementation of this policy was inconsistent.” For example, masks and sweatshirts with the thin blue line flag were banned, while “Vote” t-shirts with the names of Black individuals killed by police were permitted.
“Moving forward, we will apply the district’s policy regarding political activities fairly and in a way that prioritizes a safe and respectful environment for all of our students,” she wrote in the email to staff. “With this in mind, staff should refrain from wearing any apparel that can be construed to represent political speech. This includes, but is not limited to, support for political candidates or parties and social movements such as those represented in our schools last week on t-shirts and masks.”
In Thursday’s email, Champ clarified her reasoning for the district’s restriction on clothing that featured the thin blue line flag, which is meant to represent the concept that police are the “line” between order and chaos in society, but is considered by others to be a symbol of police oppression.
“We have heard directly from students and families that the thin blue line flag worn by numerous well-intended staff members was perceived as threatening,” said Champ. “Our schools must be places where students feel safe and respected, and it is for that reason that I asked staff to remove the symbol while in the workplace.”
On Monday—after the new policy had already been sent to staff but not further publicized—the union representing New York City detectives wrote a letter to Champ strongly opposing her ban on a sweatshirt that has a thin blue line flag on its sleeve and commemorates the late George Caccavale, a New York Transit Police detective who was murdered in 1976.
A Pelham Union Free School District spokesman said Champ received the letter by email Thursday night, and the district would have no comment on its content.
In Thursday’s message, Champ acknowledged the desire of some staff to show support for the police as well as those students and parents who find the thin blue line flag “intimidating.”
“To be very clear, we support and respect our police officers.” she wrote. “I feel extremely fortunate to have a strong relationship with both departments in our town.”
While district staff will be barred from political messages on apparel, Champ said students have more expansive First Amendment freedoms within the school environment, including regarding the clothing they wear, with some limits on vulgar, libelous and discriminatory expressions of speech. For more information on these limits, the official PUFSD Code of Conduct can be accessed here.
Tommy Roche is a student at Boston College. During the 2020-2021 school year, he was the Managing Editor/News of the Examiner, primarily covering general...
Ricky Chawla • Jan 20, 2021 at 11:27 am
Prior to the BLM movement, the thin blue line was universally understood to mean the code of silence among officers that protected bad actors in the force from accountability for their criminal actions. One would think that anyone who genuinely wanted to honor the fallen in good faith would shy as far away from that symbolism as possible, rather than adopting it as their identifying logo. In reality, the symbol could only have been picked as a direct provocation towards victims of police brutality, as it is that very same thin blue line that perverts justice in so many cases.
Bob Shepherd • Nov 16, 2020 at 4:44 pm
Which ever side you take from the many sides on this latest sad Pelham schools’ episode, the truth of the matter is that it should never have left the surrounds of the school complex in the first place. Not only has it become first, second and third hand gossip around the Pelhams, but it is now out there in the global media for all to see.
That for me as a concerned Pelham father, puts a big fat bulls eye onto Pelham schools for any half wit that would take a side, and take advantage of the war on words in order to make a name for one’s self.
In order to keep our children safe at school, the “adults” within the school need to have the ability to agree to disagree in an agreeable manner. Communication for grown ups would be the way to go. But no…let’s just blow this out of all proportion, make a mountain out of a mole hill, and let the world know how adults behave within the Pelham schools’ system and the Pelham community by inviting the media to cover the story.
ALL THINGS Pelham schools should be about first and foremost our children. Every interaction between adults, school staff and parents alike should come with the forethought of our children’s safety in mind…each and every time.
As if COVID isn’t enough to cope with, we in Pelham now have something far more dangerous. The fact that there is a split and even hatred within our small community here is something that I couldn’t even comprehend before settling in this tiny community. Pelham together it certainly is not.
Come on adults of Pelham and Pelham schools, lets pull together now…communicate with purpose, and agree as one to move forward. Because right now, I do NOT want to be sending my child to a Pelham school where the adults in front of the children cannot be seen as one. The consequences of such could be dire.
Diana Chandler • Nov 15, 2020 at 12:04 am
Here’s how I see it. Not all movements are equal. The Black Lives Matter movement is meant to highlight and end systemic racism, and encourage people to educate themselves, and others, about issues like police brutality, racial inequality, the list goes on. The flag with the thin blue line is a symbol of the Blue Lives Matter movement, a movement which I see as having two parts. On the one hand, it is meant to disempower the Black Lives Matter movement and discourages people from learning about (or even acknowledging) the pervasive racism in our country. On the other hand, I think many people simply see it as a way to thank those in law enforcement, and not as something tied to any movement (in fact, the flag predates the Blue Lives Matter movement) even though it now is. So no matter what Blue Lives Matter means to you personally, it’s important to recognize what it means to an overwhelming number of people and communities who have been plagued by police brutality.
What I take issue with is Dr. Champ stating the following: “Moving forward, we will apply the district’s policy regarding political activities fairly…With this in mind, staff should refrain from wearing any apparel that can be construed to represent political speech. This includes, but is not limited to, support for political candidates or parties and social movements such as those represented in our schools…”
We can’t expect meaningful changes to our curriculums, and the way we teach students about racism and other injustices, if we don’t allow our students/faculty to support the very movement that is rightfully demanding these changes. The Black Lives Matter movement is fundamentally different from the Blue Lives Matter movement, and therefore the two should not be treated like they are equal. As stated before, one movement seeks to improve society through education and eliminating racism, while the other is trying to stand in its way. However, I think we may be in a situation where we can have our cake and eat it too.
While there are many problems with racism and prejudice in our police departments, there are many police officers and other law enforcement officials who do not contribute to these issues (many of whom stand with Black Lives Matter), and thus deserve our gratitude. So if you want to thank any of these individuals, do it without using the thin blue line flag. You can thank local law enforcement AND not stand with Blue Lives Matter.
As for the students and faculty in our schools, if you want to show your support for the Black Lives Matter movement, despite the policies that have been put in place, make some good trouble and show your support proudly.