KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Grain Valley Schools has gathered community input to help the district reach a decision on whether LGBTQ safe space signs should remain banned for staff.
CESO Communications, a third-party education communications company, held a 90-minute listening session Wednesday where more than 100 people, including parents, students and staff, shared their perspective on the topic.
At the session, school counselors, administrators and teachers guided a facilitated dialogue.
Grain Valley Deputy Superintendent Brad Welle said each conversation was focused on "mutual understanding rather than agreement or immediate solutions," in an email to KSHB 41 News.
"Our goal for the evening was to provide an opportunity for community members to be heard in an in-person setting and to gather input to help inform decisions affecting school climate for students," he said. "I am pleased with what I observed Wednesday night and how community members with various perspectives listened to each other."
Grain Valley middle schools and high schools were also surveyed on "school climate" and six focus groups involving Grain Valley middle school and high school students and staff were held.
"CESO will compile all the input from the surveys, focus groups, and listening session and report back to the district in the next few weeks," Welle said. "Input is expected to shape decisions on school climate for students moving forward."
After the findings are shared, Welle says the district will determine if it creates any changes for the 2022-23 school year.
"Input from our students, families, and team members is expected to help inform our district's priority of providing a learning environment that is collaborative, safe, and inclusive," Welle said in the email.
