- April 19, 2024
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A Pathways Elementary student was confronted over his Black Lives Matter backpack by one of the school's physical education teachers during school hours on Thursday, Oct. 1, an action that has his mother asking for a formal apology for her son, who was distraught after the incident.
Pathways parent Lisa Nolan said her son has worn the backpack every day since school started Aug. 31. She received a phone call from the school's principal shortly around lunch time Oct. 1, informing her of what had happened between her 10-year-old biracial son Trayce and his PE coach. Trayce told his mother that the coach stopped him in the hallway and asked him if he believed that all lives mattered.
Her son said yes, but that "black lives matter too," according to Nolan. The coach pointed out other students and asked Trayce if their lives mattered.
“It’s not OK," Nolan said. "These children should not feel demoralized for having their opinions."
Following the incident last week, Nolan had attempted to arrange a meeting with the teacher but was told that wasn't possible during a grading week, and that no exceptions could be made. Nolan then called the superintendent's office and was told that Trayce couldn't wear the backpack because it was considered political in nature. She disagreed with that notion, and now so does the District.
Volusia County Schools' attorney Kevin Pendley determined after an investigation that the backpack represents a social movement rather than a political statement, said District spokeswoman Kelly Schulz on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Trayce was permitted to come to school on Monday with his backpack. Schulz was unable to comment on whether the PE teacher will face consequences for the incident, but said the matter is under investigation.
Initially, Schulz had relayed information in an email from the Volusia County Schools attorney on the matter, which stated that "due to the current political environment, there have been a few publicized instances of political involvement on school campuses." The email said state and federal laws prohibit public schools from endorsing political positions or candidates and cites School Board Policy 805, which says political posters, signs, banners or other writing that promotes a political issue or candidate cannot be permanently posted on school board property. District facilities may be used by political groups or organizations, but posters have to be removed when activities end."
The email continued to say that the attorney understood claims have been made that other "political activities have been tolerated in the past without sanction." The week before the incident with Trayce, Nolan said her son came home from school and told her there had been a child at school wearing a "Trump 2020" mask.
"The issue is whether a political display can be considered so ubiquitous and commonplace that they do not reasonably convey a message that the public school is endorsing any political position or is something reasonably likely to cause a disruption of the educational environment," the email stated. "There are qualitative and quantitative components in all situations of what constitutes public government endorsement or entanglement in political messages. Whether a political display is something violative of policy has to be considered in light of these factors."
Nolan said Pathways Elementary acknowledged that the coach's behavior was not OK.
In the past, Trayce has been subject to bullying with racial comments. Nolan said that in first grade, a fellow student told him he wasn't allowed to have "brown friends." The following school year, Trayce and another child, who is black, were called "hood rats" by a group of white children, according to Nolan. Last year, Nolan said Trayce was picked on for his hair.
She chalked it up as kids being mean, but said it's a different issue altogether if it's coming from teachers. Wearing the backpack to school was her son's choice, and the fact he no longer wants it breaks her heart, she said.
“That’s what hurts me so bad, is that here’s a kid who will give everyone everything," Nolan said. "... He’ll give you half of everything he has, and this is his thank you for being a good product of the environment.”
This story was updated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to include the district's determination regarding Trayce's backpack.
