Discussion of segregating students by sexual orientation sparks backlash at school board meeting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- The police were called, and more than 60 people signed up to speak during public comment at an Academy School District 20 meeting Thursday. It comes after a Colorado Freedom of Information Act request revealed there was a conversation about segregating students by sexual orientation, during a meeting between school officials and a non-district affiliated advocacy group.

The CORA request showed a meeting took place in September between District 20 Superintendent Brian Gregory, the district's communication officer and an assistant superintendent, former Challenger Middle School teacher Don Spano, and chair of Advocates for D20 kids, Brian Moody.

In the meeting summary, it says, Spano, "proposed the idea of an LBTQ/transgender school or campus. Specifically asking, “What if we did something similar to the DCC IB campus?” Parents who feel like their student needs an LBTQ/transgender environment, and “that type of belonging” could send their kids to a school where there are teachers and admin who believe the same.

Advocates for D20 Kids told KRDO that Spano, "does not speak for our group. He has no role in the organization."

Additionally, in a Facebook post, 'Advocates for D20 Kids wrote, "Segregating students is an absurd idea that we have never supported. The individual in question is not a member of Advocates for D20 Kids. He doesn’t speak for the group."

Still, tensions were high Thursday as dozens of people waited outside the at-capacity board of education meeting. The topic dominated public comment, despite not being an item on the agenda.

"Our educators are capable of including students without excluding others," one speaker told the board. Another speaker said, "I have never seen such poor actions from a board before the current boards were elected across the state."

Before public comment Thursday, Academy District 20 School Board President Tom LaValley denied the board has ever considered the idea.

"I think I can safely say that the board has never discussed, would never discuss, and in fact would condemn any thought of separating students in schools based on anything except parental choice."

A school district spokesperson told KRDO the police were called to the meeting because of a "nonphysical conflict" between two community members outside the meeting.