WORTHINGTON 鈥� When science teacher Jose Morales Collazo first began teaching at Worthington High 歪歪漫画, he said he quickly noticed a lack of diversity when it came to celebrations and activities, especially considering the rapidly diversifying population of Worthington.
鈥淚t didn鈥檛 feel very diverse,鈥� Collazo said. 鈥淚 did not see a celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month or Indigenous Day, those kinds of things, so I wondered if the students would like to see stuff like that.鈥�
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He said it was never his intention to remove what was traditionally celebrated, but merely to 鈥渁dd and enhance.鈥�
Collazo eventually organized a student-led group to help plan celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month, though he quickly realized money was a big issue.
鈥淚 realized I was spending a hefty amount of my own money getting all the materials,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome of them were donated by other teachers, but we spent a lot of money trying to do what the students wanted to do. That鈥檚 when I got the idea to apply for a club.鈥�
Callazo鈥檚 application for such a club, however, was reportedly denied by Superintendent John Landgaard due to a high number of existing clubs and budgetary concerns.
鈥淚t was disheartening. The whole point of me applying (for) a club was to fundraise, and I cannot do that,鈥� Collazo said. 鈥淚t felt like we were not provided as much access as other groups have."
Some students faced hostility for supporting more diverse events, according to Collazo.
During one event, a Black History Month poster was vandalized and torn from the wall of the school hallways, he said. Other students allege they were threatened with gun violence for speaking out when Collazo was ordered to remove a Puerto Rican flag and Pride banner from his classroom.
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鈥淚t is our job to prepare these students for career readiness and participation in society. That includes understanding, tolerating and accepting people that are different from them,鈥� Collazo said. 鈥淭his just shows what we need to do. We need to get these students to engage in these conversations.鈥�
Board-ordered flag removal
In October, Collazo was that two flags in his classroom 鈥� the flag of Puerto Rico and a Pride banner with the phrase 鈥淓veryone is welcome here鈥� 鈥� were to be removed immediately.
The order led to months of deliberation by the District 518 Board of Education, which oversees Worthington schools. On Monday, Jan. 22, following by the District 518 Board of Education, Collazo received an official directive to remove the flags.
鈥� ,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ard to hear, but not surprising.鈥�
The discussion was ugly. Hard to hear, but not surprising.
Collazo, who did not appear at any of the school board meetings or listening sessions conducted regarding the flags in his classroom, said he was positive this would be the result of the months-long discussion. Still, he admits it has left him with a heavy heart.
The reason for the removal of the items?
Landgaard has said at school board meetings that he believes the flags are controversial and do not belong in a neutral school environment.
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Statewide reaction
Since the district鈥檚 Jan. 16 meeting, when the board voted to remove the Puerto Rican flag and 鈥淓veryone is welcome here鈥� banner, the decision has gained attention across the state.
A statement released by the Queer Legislators Caucus of the Minnesota House of Representatives said the decision was not only disrespectful to Collazo鈥檚 Latino heritage, but was also a painful echo of the 1948 Puerto Rican 鈥淕ag Law,鈥� which made it illegal to display or possess a Puerto Rican flag.
鈥淭his is not just a Worthington issue," Rep. Mar铆a Isa P茅rez-Vega said in a Jan. 20 statement. 鈥淭his is a fight for inclusivity and acceptance in all schools across the country. We cannot stand by and allow our children to be targeted for their identities. We must demand better.鈥�
鈥淚f you want to know what the students think, check Instagram,鈥� Collazo suggested.
Indeed, many students were quick to take to social media following the decision 鈥� several rallying under the Sahan Journal article published last week.
鈥淢any think he is forcing his ideals onto students, but he has never tried to force anything,鈥� one student wrote. 鈥淗e has created a safe space in his classroom for many students.鈥�
鈥淲hy would anyone choose to be a part of the community when it comes with hate?鈥� another student wrote. 鈥淲e raise our voices about loving who you are, but when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, suddenly it鈥檚 (the opposite).鈥�
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St. Paul City Councilwoman Cheniqua Johnson chimed in as well: 鈥淚 can say wholeheartedly the leadership in Worthington is genuinely the reason we continue to see things like this happen to students (...) It鈥檚 tragic and sends a very loud message as to what is and is not welcomed or encouraged to shine.鈥�
Moving forward
Despite the hardships of the past few months, Collazo said he believes his classes are going as well as ever, and with the support of fellow staff members and students, he said he will continue to do 鈥渢he right thing.鈥�
He said he has received much support from students, including cards, stickers and paintings.
In his desk, Collazo keeps a collection of supportive notes from students 鈥� and the number continues to grow. Little tokens of appreciation, he said, are what keeps him moving forward.
鈥淚 was doing what I thought was right for my students, and I still stand by that,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his district has paid a lot of money for me to attend numerous trainings and events and inclusion into the classroom, so all I was doing was implementing what I learned.鈥�
Collazo has tendered his resignation, effective at the end of the school year.
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