Police in Petaluma City, California, have arrested 54-year-old Josh Garzoli for allegedly threatening to “execute” a school district official if they didn’t remove rainbow Pride flags flying at local schools. The threats come as conservatives increasingly seek to ban Pride flags from schools as a “divisive” form of “ideological” messaging.
Garzoli reportedly contacted school district officials several times, demanding the flags be taken down. He had called the district offices on May 30, visited on June 2, and emailed on June 5, promising “harsh consequences” and making “explicit threats” that “caused safety concerns for school officials,” The Press Democrat reported.
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Officers arrested Garzoli at 12:30 p.m. local time last Thursday. He is now being held on a $750,000 bond while facing two felony counts of criminal threats.
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Petaluma City School District (PCS) officials told the aforementioned publication that it has “proudly flown” the Pride flag annually from late May through the end of June since 2022. That year, the PCS school board voted unanimously to display the flags in recognition of Harvey Milk Day on May 22 and Pride Month in June.
The school board called the alleged threats “disheartening,” saying that the board “wholeheartedly respect[s] the diverse perspectives within our community and welcome thoughtful, productive dialogue,” and adding, “Our hope has always been that as neighbors, colleagues, and friends, we lead with empathy and kindness.”
Sandra Larsen, president of the teachers’ union, told the aforementioned publication, “I have heard from a few teachers and they are shocked, saddened, and angry… How can we expect people to accept leadership roles if their well-being is threatened?”
Three states — Idaho, Montana, and Utah — have all recently passed statewide bans on flying Pride flags in schools and on government property. Florida, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Illinois are all considering similar bans, according to The Washington Post.
Critics, like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), say that such bans undermine free expression at a time when conservatives and the presidential administration are both attacking LGBTQ+ civil rights and initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Such bans discourage educators from displaying rainbow banners, pins, and apparel that communicate their support of queer students.
After Idaho passed its ban, Sarah Lynch, executive director of North Idaho Pride Alliance, told the aforementioned publication, “This bill is a blatant overreach of state power, stripping local governments of their ability to reflect the values and diversity of their own communities. [It] raises serious free speech concerns and serves as a thinly veiled attempt to censor LGBTQ+ voices.”
Justifying his state’s flag ban, 25-year-old Utah state Rep. Braxton Mitchell (R) said, “Government buildings, schools and public facilities serve all citizens and should not be used to promote political, ideological, or activist messaging.” Other proponents of the bans claim they’ll allow schools to “refocus” on other more important educational goals, though numerous surveys suggest that school support aids the emotional and academic well being of LGBTQ+ students.
Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and anger about Pride flag displays can turn
After her murder, film director Paul Feig, who was friends with Carleton, wrote, “If people don’t think anti-gay & trans rhetoric isn’t dangerous, think again.”
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