How LGBTQ+ Candidates Are Redefining Local Politics in School Board Battles
When a Florida school district banned classroom discussions about sexual orientation in early 2022, high school teacher Jamie McAllister decided they’d had enough. As a nonbinary educator who’d spent years advocating for inclusive curricula, McAllister felt the new policy erased LGBTQ+ students’ identities overnight. So, they did something radical: they ran for school board.
McAllister’s story isn’t unique. Across the U.S., LGBTQ+ individuals are launching campaigns for school board seats at unprecedented rates, positioning themselves as defenders of inclusive education amid heated debates over book bans, pronoun policies, and history lessons. These candidates aren’t just fighting for representation—they’re challenging the narrative that LGBTQ+ issues don’t belong in public schools.
The Spark Behind the Surge
The wave of LGBTQ+ school board candidates traces back to 2021, when conservative groups began flooding school board meetings with demands to remove books featuring queer characters, limit transgender students’ access to sports, and ban discussions of systemic racism. Organizations like Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education gained traction by framing these efforts as “parental rights” campaigns.
For many LGBTQ+ community members, these policies felt personal. “When you see students being told their families are ‘inappropriate’ or their identities are up for debate, it’s not abstract—it’s about real kids’ lives,” says Carlos Ramirez, a gay father of two who won a school board seat in suburban Texas last year.
Data supports this urgency. A 2022 GLSEN survey found 56% of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school due to their orientation or gender identity. Meanwhile, over 20 states have passed laws restricting LGBTQ+-related instruction or student rights since 2021.
Campaigning on Hostile Turf
Running as openly LGBTQ+ in today’s polarized climate comes with unique challenges. Many candidates report facing harassment, misinformation, and well-funded opposition.
In Virginia, transgender candidate Deirdre LaMond saw her campaign website hacked days before the election, replaced with transphobic slurs. In Oklahoma, lesbian mother Sarah Jensen received threatening voicemails accusing her of “grooming” students—a baseless but increasingly common smear tactic.
“You’re not just defending your platform,” Jensen explains. “You’re constantly having to reaffirm your humanity.”
Despite these obstacles, LGBTQ+ candidates are finding creative ways to connect with voters. Many emphasize kitchen-table issues like teacher retention and STEM funding while framing inclusion as fundamental to student success. Others leverage grassroots networks built during recent equality marches and mutual aid efforts.
Shifting the Conversation
Successful candidates are proving that LGBTQ+ voices can reshape local politics. In Minnesota, newly elected board member Alicia Vega helped reverse a book-banning proposal by sharing how banned LGBTQ+ memoirs helped her survive high school in the 1990s. In Arizona, gay former principal Tom Soto brokered a compromise on sex education curriculum by emphasizing medical accuracy over ideology.
These leaders often employ three key strategies:
1. Centering Student Well-Being
Rather than getting bogged down in culture-war rhetoric, many focus on mental health resources and anti-bullying programs. New Jersey’s first nonbinary board member, River Morgan, successfully pushed for gender-neutral bathrooms by presenting data on reduced absenteeism in schools with inclusive facilities.
2. Building Unlikely Alliances
Some candidates find common ground with conservative parents on issues like vocational training or school security. “When we agree on 80% of things, that 20% disagreement becomes manageable,” notes Kentucky board member Marcus Chen, who won rural voters by collaborating on agriculture education initiatives.
3. Demystifying LGBTQ+ Lived Experience
Personal storytelling disarms critics. After being accused of “pushing an agenda,” Pennsylvania candidate Maria Fernández brought her wife and children to a debate, telling voters: “My family isn’t political—we’re just neighbors who care about schools.” She won by 12 points.
The Ripple Effects
The impact extends beyond policy changes. Research shows LGBTQ+ students in districts with queer board members report higher self-esteem and lower anxiety. Teachers also feel empowered—in California’s Bay Area, educators credit their board’s first transgender member with creating safer spaces to discuss gender diversity.
Perhaps most importantly, these campaigns are normalizing LGBTQ+ leadership. When 24-year-old community college student Amir Jones became the youngest and first queer person elected to their Michigan school board, they received letters from local teens saying simply: “Now I know I belong here too.”
The Road Ahead
While victories are mounting, the path remains steep. LGBTQ+ candidates often lack major party support and face fundraising disadvantages. Many rely on small-dollar donations and volunteer-driven campaigns.
Yet their persistence is rewriting political playbooks. Organizations like Run for Something and LGBTQ Victory Fund now offer specialized training for queer school board hopefuls, covering everything from crisis communications to coalition-building.
As current board members gear up for re-election battles, they’re mentoring new candidates. “We’re building a pipeline,” says McAllister, the Florida teacher-turned-board-member. “Every time someone sees us governing competently, it chips away at the fear-mongering.”
In school cafeterias turned debate stages and Zoom meetings turned policy workshops, LGBTQ+ leaders are proving that local politics isn’t just about partisan fights—it’s about ensuring every student sees themselves reflected in their education. And in doing so, they’re offering America a masterclass in turning backlash into progress.
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