Following the previous flag resolution being shot down, the NOCCCD Board of Trustees voted in favor of continuing to develop a new policy that allows certain flags to be flown by a tally of 5-1 during their 16th meeting of the year on Tuesday, August 22 at the Anaheim Campus building, in the presence of several people who opposed the policy.
Proposed by Board of Trustees president Ed Lopez, policy BP-3830 would allow the display and flying of special interest groups flags that is pre-approved by the board on NOCCCD campuses during their designated months. It is also stated that “the district’s flagpoles do not serve as a free expression forum by the public,” but rather represent the views of the district.
Flags that represent Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Pride Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Month were listed in the policy.
Although previously expressing his preference on having a policy in place limiting the type of flags displayed on campus, Lopez suggested that the district should show support to certain groups marginalized in society by flying their representative flags.
“These flags are a way of saying to those that have been marginalized by society that we recognize them, so we value their contribution and their attendance on our campuses and that they are welcome,” said Lopez at the meeting.
Trustee Ryan Bent, along with many public attendees from within as well as outside of the community, opposed the policy, claiming it would divide more students rather than unify them and make those of conservative beliefs feel unwelcome.
“Why would we put any divisive flags on our flag pools at all?” said Bent in his remarks at the meeting. “These actual flags are partisan.”
Bent released a video on his YouTube channel, six days previous to the meeting encouraging people to attend and speak out against the policy. The video has 947 views at the time of this publication.
A minority of the attendees, who were students and faculty members of the NOCCCD, supported the nature of the policy, but pointed out the need for clarification on which flags would be displayed.
“I can tell you I do not even understand which flag would fly for Women’s History Month,” said Fullerton College political science professor Jodi Balma.
Lopez explained that after the first approval by the board, the policy is then sent to a legal counsel for review, then sent back to the board for a first reading, following another review and a second reading before taking action. The readings would involve the presence of the public, which would be allowed to comment.
Trustee Barbara Dunsheath, Trustee Jaquelin Rodarte and Chancellor Byron Breland had an input on this policy, which was not disclosed until Lopez thanked those involved during the meeting for their work on BP-3830.
Bent expressed concern over three trustees working together on the policy without his knowledge, pointing out that the involvement of one more trustee could have led to a Brown Act violation.
Lopez stated that, as Bent noted, a Brown Act violation did not occur in this case, claiming that the majority of the board members never meet outside of a board meeting to discuss this policy, and also suggested it to be “common for two or three trustees to work together on an issue.”
“At times, a Board president may even appoint an ad hoc committee of three trustees to do just that [work on an issue],” said Lopez. “Those practices do not violate the Brown Act.”
The next public meeting will be scheduled for the first reading of the policy and will be reviewed by the council.
