NASN Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Hi,

Unfortunately, due to the current sociopolitical climate that we are experiencing and the concern for states and school districts across the country for loss of federal funding, we will probably see a lot more actions as this occurring. 

I would encourage you to see what information is being put out to schools from your state department of education, state attorney general, and state health department concerning these matters. 

Also, for you as the school nurse to advocate for what it means to be a school nurse and nurse in general in your own district and convey that message to your school community. Nurses are not listed by the Press Ganey survey as being the most trusted for nothing. The health office has been and will be continued to be that "safe space" for students, whether or not, a sign is posted. Continue to support them based on our nursing code of ethics as you deem fit.

Just my few words for your consideration.

Good Luck

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Sheila Caldwell, BSN, RN, CSN, FNASN
All Members/School Nurse Open Forum Administrator
School Nurse
smsmwell@gmail.com
BlueSky - @sheila-caldwell.bsky.social

Follow NASN on Instagram - @nasnschoolnurses
Better Health. Better Learning.™

#NASN2025 | J W Marriott - Austin, Texas | June 26-29, 2025
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-04-2025 08:40
From: Casie Mair-Miley, MSN Ed
Subject: Safe Space

I had a teaching aide take down my "Safe Space" poster from the hallway, just outside my office door. (Upside down triangle with "this is a place where human rights are respected...") He brought it to me and said that it "violated Federal Laws" and that gays and trans aren't supported (I think he said "allowed") in schools anymore. He went on to say that his aunt, the secretary for our district's assistant superintendent, was touring the building with the Board of Education that day, and there would be "huge fines" to pay if she saw that.

I reported this action to my (new as of November) principal, expressed my concern about this gross misinterpretation of legislation and of having my property removed, and requested her permission to put up a more generic sign that just said, "You are welcome here" in rainbow colors. (I have never had to ask permission to hang posters in the past.) She said before I hung anything else that she needed to consult a lawyer. This was a week ago.

I'm wondering if there is a clear source of information that clarifies how we are able and even compelled to continue to support our LGBTQ+ student population, in the face of the new federal administration. We are in NY state. 

Thank you!

Casie Mair-Miley MSN RN

Ormsby Educational Center

Erie 2- Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES 

716-652-8250 x 5213

Fax 805-3028

This transmission is privileged and confidential and is intended only for the party or parties to which it is addressed.  Any review, copying, disclosure of, or the taking of any action in reliance on, its contents by anyone other than the addressee is prohibited by both NYS law and HIPAA regulation. If you have received this transmission in error, please reply immediately to arrange for its return and delete this message and any related attachments. Any unauthorized further disclosure in violation of State law may result in a fine or jail sentence or both. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Confidentiality Notice: This electronic mail transmission is intended for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipient(s) named above. This message may contain confidential student or personnel data or an attorney-client communication and as such is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message and any attached documents in error, that any review, dissemination/disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify sender immediately by e-mail and delete the original message and documents. Thank you for your cooperation.

Hi, 

I am appalled that this teacher's aide did this! I wonder if you could put up a sign that says Everyone Is Welcome Here that has either all the different flags (pride, trans etc) on it, or even a sign without any flags on it. Then, once you find out if you can put your original sign back up you could switch that out.

Me personally...I would have a face-to-face with the teacher's aide and let him know how disappointed and upset you are that he touched your personal property without your permission and that he didn't have the guts to come talk to you about his concerns first. What he doesn't realize is that this is in fact NOT a political issue, rather it is a human issue. He clearly has many personal biases that he has not explored and needs more education about how do that and why it's important. I would also just put the sign back up, but that's me!

Thank you for all you do for your students and making them all feel included!

Best,

 Janneke Strickland ("Yahnikah")

------------------------------
Janneke Strickland BSN, RN , NCSN
Farmington, Maine
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-04-2025 08:40
From: Casie Mair-Miley
Subject: Safe Space

I had a teaching aide take down my "Safe Space" poster from the hallway, just outside my office door. (Upside down triangle with "this is a place where human rights are respected...") He brought it to me and said that it "violated Federal Laws" and that gays and trans aren't supported (I think he said "allowed") in schools anymore. He went on to say that his aunt, the secretary for our district's assistant superintendent, was touring the building with the Board of Education that day, and there would be "huge fines" to pay if she saw that.

I reported this action to my (new as of November) principal, expressed my concern about this gross misinterpretation of legislation and of having my property removed, and requested her permission to put up a more generic sign that just said, "You are welcome here" in rainbow colors. (I have never had to ask permission to hang posters in the past.) She said before I hung anything else that she needed to consult a lawyer. This was a week ago.

I'm wondering if there is a clear source of information that clarifies how we are able and even compelled to continue to support our LGBTQ+ student population, in the face of the new federal administration. We are in NY state. 

Thank you!

Casie Mair-Miley MSN RN

Ormsby Educational Center

Erie 2- Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES 

716-652-8250 x 5213

Fax 805-3028

This transmission is privileged and confidential and is intended only for the party or parties to which it is addressed.  Any review, copying, disclosure of, or the taking of any action in reliance on, its contents by anyone other than the addressee is prohibited by both NYS law and HIPAA regulation. If you have received this transmission in error, please reply immediately to arrange for its return and delete this message and any related attachments. Any unauthorized further disclosure in violation of State law may result in a fine or jail sentence or both. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Confidentiality Notice: This electronic mail transmission is intended for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipient(s) named above. This message may contain confidential student or personnel data or an attorney-client communication and as such is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message and any attached documents in error, that any review, dissemination/disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify sender immediately by e-mail and delete the original message and documents. Thank you for your cooperation.

Thank you so much for this supportive message! I was also apalled, and I actually contacted the district lawyers myself, who as of yet have done nothing about it. Supposedly they are "looking into it", but warned me not to expect any results any time soon. Unfortunately this is all part of a larger general hostile climate against me (and my love of rainbows), which has worn down my normally assertive spirit. I did tell him that we had an obligation to make everyone feel accepted, but- deaf ears. I've had too much aggression thrown at me, especially since November, and I'm just hopeful that working with the district lawyers will bring some results. In the mean time I'm still unclear on what NY State Law says, although I haven't had much time to dig.

Thank you again for being an advocate yourself!!!!

-Casie

------------------------------
Casie Mair-Miley MSN Ed
MSN RN
ERIE 2-CHAUTAUQUA-CATTARAUGUS BOCES
Warsaw, NY United States
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-08-2025 09:39
From: Janneke Strickland
Subject: Safe Space

Hi, 

I am appalled that this teacher's aide did this! I wonder if you could put up a sign that says Everyone Is Welcome Here that has either all the different flags (pride, trans etc) on it, or even a sign without any flags on it. Then, once you find out if you can put your original sign back up you could switch that out.

Me personally...I would have a face-to-face with the teacher's aide and let him know how disappointed and upset you are that he touched your personal property without your permission and that he didn't have the guts to come talk to you about his concerns first. What he doesn't realize is that this is in fact NOT a political issue, rather it is a human issue. He clearly has many personal biases that he has not explored and needs more education about how do that and why it's important. I would also just put the sign back up, but that's me!

Thank you for all you do for your students and making them all feel included!

Best,

 Janneke Strickland ("Yahnikah")

------------------------------
Janneke Strickland BSN, RN , NCSN
Farmington, Maine

Original Message:
Sent: 04-04-2025 08:40
From: Casie Mair-Miley
Subject: Safe Space

I had a teaching aide take down my "Safe Space" poster from the hallway, just outside my office door. (Upside down triangle with "this is a place where human rights are respected...") He brought it to me and said that it "violated Federal Laws" and that gays and trans aren't supported (I think he said "allowed") in schools anymore. He went on to say that his aunt, the secretary for our district's assistant superintendent, was touring the building with the Board of Education that day, and there would be "huge fines" to pay if she saw that.

I reported this action to my (new as of November) principal, expressed my concern about this gross misinterpretation of legislation and of having my property removed, and requested her permission to put up a more generic sign that just said, "You are welcome here" in rainbow colors. (I have never had to ask permission to hang posters in the past.) She said before I hung anything else that she needed to consult a lawyer. This was a week ago.

I'm wondering if there is a clear source of information that clarifies how we are able and even compelled to continue to support our LGBTQ+ student population, in the face of the new federal administration. We are in NY state. 

Thank you!

Casie Mair-Miley MSN RN

Ormsby Educational Center

Erie 2- Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES 

716-652-8250 x 5213

Fax 805-3028

This transmission is privileged and confidential and is intended only for the party or parties to which it is addressed.  Any review, copying, disclosure of, or the taking of any action in reliance on, its contents by anyone other than the addressee is prohibited by both NYS law and HIPAA regulation. If you have received this transmission in error, please reply immediately to arrange for its return and delete this message and any related attachments. Any unauthorized further disclosure in violation of State law may result in a fine or jail sentence or both. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Confidentiality Notice: This electronic mail transmission is intended for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipient(s) named above. This message may contain confidential student or personnel data or an attorney-client communication and as such is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message and any attached documents in error, that any review, dissemination/disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify sender immediately by e-mail and delete the original message and documents. Thank you for your cooperation.

I would love to see a picture of the poster, or at least the writing. It is horrible but I think we have to do whatever we can to provide our students with the knowledge that WE are there for them, even when others may not be. I think we have to play with the language as much as the other side is doing so. "This is a place where human rights are respected ... " does not specifically state anything about gender, sexuality, LGBTQ+. This person is assuming whatever they want. 

Human rights can relate to so many things. Civil rights are a thing. It means you respect everyone; you're not singling out any group. This other individual is assuming it applies only to a particular group. 

I'm not sure this makes sense, but I hope it helps. I would definitely put up your own sign with "This is a safe space". Again, this can be related to so many things, even students having difficulty at home, with parents, with teachers, with grades; you're letting them know it's a safe, judgement free zone. I respect your right to privacy, etc. If someone challenges this, provide these reasons and hopefully the students that really need to see that, will understand that it's for more than those things. Best of luck!

------------------------------
Rachel Furman
Boston Children's Hospital
East Bridgewater, MA United States
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-04-2025 08:40
From: Casie Mair-Miley, MSN Ed
Subject: Safe Space

I had a teaching aide take down my "Safe Space" poster from the hallway, just outside my office door. (Upside down triangle with "this is a place where human rights are respected...") He brought it to me and said that it "violated Federal Laws" and that gays and trans aren't supported (I think he said "allowed") in schools anymore. He went on to say that his aunt, the secretary for our district's assistant superintendent, was touring the building with the Board of Education that day, and there would be "huge fines" to pay if she saw that.

I reported this action to my (new as of November) principal, expressed my concern about this gross misinterpretation of legislation and of having my property removed, and requested her permission to put up a more generic sign that just said, "You are welcome here" in rainbow colors. (I have never had to ask permission to hang posters in the past.) She said before I hung anything else that she needed to consult a lawyer. This was a week ago.

I'm wondering if there is a clear source of information that clarifies how we are able and even compelled to continue to support our LGBTQ+ student population, in the face of the new federal administration. We are in NY state. 

Thank you!

Casie Mair-Miley MSN RN

Ormsby Educational Center

Erie 2- Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES 

716-652-8250 x 5213

Fax 805-3028

This transmission is privileged and confidential and is intended only for the party or parties to which it is addressed.  Any review, copying, disclosure of, or the taking of any action in reliance on, its contents by anyone other than the addressee is prohibited by both NYS law and HIPAA regulation. If you have received this transmission in error, please reply immediately to arrange for its return and delete this message and any related attachments. Any unauthorized further disclosure in violation of State law may result in a fine or jail sentence or both. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Confidentiality Notice: This electronic mail transmission is intended for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipient(s) named above. This message may contain confidential student or personnel data or an attorney-client communication and as such is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message and any attached documents in error, that any review, dissemination/disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify sender immediately by e-mail and delete the original message and documents. Thank you for your cooperation.