The Quilcene School Board’s Oct. 16 regular meeting opened the floor to discuss what was itemized as “an LGBTQ Library Books Proposed Resolution/Donation,” but the Zoom feed of the meeting was derailed by a hack that broadcast pornography during the public comment section.

Quilcene School Superintendent Ron Moag sent out a letter the following day explaining that the disruption caused the Zoom broadcast of the meeting to be shut down, for which he extended an apology “for having to take those measures.”

Quilcene School Board Chair Jon Cooke confirmed that “some person got control of the screen, and with the large number of people virtually attending the Zoom meeting, our IT guy could not find the culprit, so we had to shut the Zoom broadcast down.”

Moag assured the public that “we are taking precautionary measures” with regard to its Zoom broadcast set-up to prevent it from happening in the future.

The rest of the meeting agenda went as planned, said Cooke, who emphasized the school board took the public input it received before the disruption occurred seriously.

Although the board went on to discuss the resolution regarding LGBTQ library books, it tabled the resolution without taking action during the Oct. 16 meeting. “I believe the resolution will be on the agenda at our work study meeting on Nov. 6.”

“The board listened to more than 30 public comments,” Cooke said. “We appreciate people’s opinions on this issue, and the discussion included parent’s rights to limit the topics their children are exposed to, how our school library is operated, and the board’s role in the selection of curriculum.“

As soon as the public comment period opened several speakers warned against banning LGBTQ-related books. Ann Jesse and PEARL teacher Julia Kilcullen noted that Washington state passed House Bill 2331 this year, which prohibits schools from banning books based on race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation of the author or the subject.

“I ask the board if you are here to serve all the students of this district, to ensure and help facilitate their academic success, to help them become the contributing citizens we need, to help them in their life after graduation with confidence, free from fear to become whole human beings?” Jesse said. “Or are you here to promote an agenda? Since two of you have taken office, the meetings have been dominated by attacks on teachers, the library, books in the library, the school-based health clinics and Title IX, explicitly targeting transgender youth sports.”

Kilcullen took issue with the phrasing of the board proposal, which she said “describes the books in question as containing controversial sexual topics, and implies that their content is sexually explicit. This is completely misleading and inaccurate. These books have no more sexual content than any other books in the Quilcene Schools Library. The fact that something is about people in the LGBTQ community does not mean it is inherently sexually explicit, and to imply that it does is appalling.”

Courtney Beck, who identified herself as a parent, English teacher and union president, asserted that books do not affect young readers’ sexual orientations, as she thanked Eli Allen, one of the Associated Student Body’s two representatives on the Quilcene School Board, for his role in organizing support for her bisexual son, who was recently outed without his prior consent.

“I hate sitting back here and listening to you all talk about something that affects my child,” Beck said. “I wanted him to come tonight, but I didn’t want him to see me. He goes to school, and all he sees is love. So if you are a teacher, or a staff member, or a student in the crowd, I just want to say thank you for supporting my openly bi son and my other transgender son.”

PEARL special education teacher Jenelle Cleland warned that “the current agenda does not appear to be supportive of all students,” and could further divide a community that had united around the levy.

“The focus seems to be on pushing out anything that does not align with the views of a select few individuals,” Cleland said. “It’s alarming to hear the board mischaracterizing inclusivity, suggesting that even mentioning the word ‘transgender,’ or acknowledging a student’s choice to use certain pronouns, is somehow inappropriate. One board member suggested that if teachers spent less time focusing on the LGBTQ issues, our academic performance would improve.”

Cleland said that no teacher in the district was pushing any child to be a certain way, particularly when it comes to gender.

“Our responsibility is to accept all students as they are, and foster an environment that supports each one of their unique needs,” said Cleland. “That is what you entrust us to do, and it is what we work diligently to do every single day. This isn’t about education. It feels like it’s about control, and it feels like we’re on a slippery slope toward an environment where power is prioritized over progress, and I’m worried about what’s next.”