Ricketts pulls out of event in Canton
Neb. governor cites scheduling conflict for Stefanowski fundraiser
HARTFORD — About 24 hours before a long-planned fundraiser, Republican Bob Stefanowski suddenly canceled the event Monday with the chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association.
Stefanowski’s strategist, Liz Kurantowicz, said that Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts had a scheduling conflict that prompted the cancellation of the event at a Republican’s upscale home in Canton.
The event had caused controversy among Democrats because Ricketts favors banning abortion, even in cases of rape, if the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in the coming weeks.
“Nebraska is a pro-life state. I believe life begins at conception, and those are babies, too,” Ricketts told CNN last month. “If Roe v. Wade, which is a horrible constitutional decision, gets overturned by the Supreme Court, which we’re hopeful of, here in Nebraska, we’re going to take further steps to protect those pre-born babies.’’
When asked if he favored raising the age to 21 to buy an assault weapon, Ricketts said, “I haven’t looked at the details of that bill.’’
Even with the cancellation of the fundraiser, local Democrats are still planning a protest Tuesday about one mile away in the parking lot at the Cherry Brook elementary school on Barbourtown Road in Canton.
“We were pleased to hear that Ricketts is not going to come, and we view that as a victory,’’ said Michael Vogel, a Democrat who helped organize the protest. “The obvious inference is they canceled because of the pressure.’’
Ricketts had declined to speak with the Courant as an RGA spokesman said they do not speak
time again about having a flag, about teachers can’t have [Pride flags] in their classrooms,” Przech said. “Students don’t feel safe, they don’t feel heard. They get bullied by their peers. The administration, teachers, they turned a blind eye. [LGBTQ students] feel unseen and unheard.”
Jennifer Levi, transgender rights project director for the nonprofit GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) in Boston, said displays of support for LGBTQ students are key components to having a safe school climate for all students.
“It’s important to LGBTQ young people as well as NON-LGBTQ students to see that the school supports and affirms LGBTQ students,” Levi said. “When schools improve school climate, we see reductions in bullying, we see increased rates of self-esteem, we see positive, healthy social development. With LGBTQ students and others. School climate is one of the key components to positive social relationships and positive identity as well.”
The Pride flag at the high school would also serve as a message of support to the LGBTQ children in lower grades, according to Farmington resident Melissa Combs, a parent of two LGBTQ children, one at the high school and one at Irving A. Robbins Middle School.
“Nobody is asking for special rights,” Combs said. “They’re just asking for the same education that everybody else gets. … These kids know things about their community. They know they’re at a high risk of self-harm and suicide.”
A message left with Farmington Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Greider was not returned. Farmington High Principal Scott Hurwitz issued a statement that the school district is committed to equity and inclusion and lauded the students for their Monday walkout.
“We applaud our students for their leadership and agency in all matters, and we understand their disappointment when all requests cannot be accommodated,” Hurwitz said. “It is important to note that we use moments such as these as learning opportunities to help students understand why specific requests are approved or cannot be accommodated. … We are proud to have an active and collaborative GSA which has accomplished a great deal over time and helps collaborate to ensure students are seen and heard not only during Pride Month but throughout the year. They are leaders within Farmington and throughout the state.
But, Hurwitz said, the school is also cautious in terms of how flags and other symbols are displayed.
“Over many years we have worked collectively to ensure that students are seen and heard in all aspects of our improvement work, including ways in which we promote equity and inclusion district-wide,” he said. “We are careful with precedent-setting related to symbols such as flags.”
“Although we cannot speak for other districts, we are careful in the practice of posting signs or symbols such as a flag that would open the school district or classrooms up to
requests to post a myriad of signs or symbols. What matters most is what occurs in our classrooms each day.”
Levi said the school district’s position that it would have to fly flags of all clubs and organizations, including the Confederate flag Przech said was used as an example by school officials, is flawed.
“When the school is determining how it wants to use its own property, it gets to decide how to do that, as long as the school hasn’t taken steps to let all comers use the flagpole,” Levi said. “Then the school
can decide what flag it wants to fly, and it should not be afraid legally to fly a flag that is consistent with
the school’s values. It has the ability to do that and it would be important to many people to see the school affirming who they are. …
The school property is not an open forum, it’s not as if anybody can come and use either the property or facilities at any time they want to.”