Back to school is here. It’s been so refreshing to see my timeline filled with pictures of students in their “first day best” and well-wishes from parents, families, and communities for a wonderful school year.

But While schools have traditionally served as safe spaces for our youth, we’re sending a particular group of students into spaces of suffering – not because of the teachers that serve in these spaces, but due to the ever-increasing assault on the very existence of these students. The students I’m describing are students who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. According to a recent study by The Trevor Project, 50 percent of LGBTQ teens (ages 13–17) seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year…and 18 percent actually made a suicide attempt. That’s more than twice the rate of suicide attempts among all US teens, which is 9 percent

The most vile, hate-filled segments of our society have grasped control of many communities, using the mere existence of these students and their families as a fear-mongering tactic to push their bigoted agendas, with the hopes of disrupting and destroying pubic schools as we know them. My heart absolutely breaks for these young people and their families who have been told that they don’t matter.

I know, I’m speaking in general terms about a marginalized group of people so allow me to be more specific:

I want you to meet Devin.

Engaging, Joy-filled, Talented, Creative, Intelligent, Caring, Compassionate, Empathetic – Devin Bryant embodies these words and so much more. He is one of those unique individuals who, when you’re in their presence, has the ability to make you feel like you’re the most important person in the world. He’s thoughtful about paying close attention to those he engages with. Always moving through the halls with purpose, but never in too much of a hurry to offer a huge smile and a warm hello. Devin receives high marks in his classes, is a friend to all, is highly artistic, and is also an avid cross-country runner.

It would be my hope that we would all be so lucky to have a Devin Bryant in our lives. I’m forever grateful our paths crossed when they did.  But how they did speaks to a culture of intolerance that has become increasingly prevalent in our society over the last several years.

It was the summer of 2020 and I had just been named Principal at Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, TX. This would be my first year as a high school principal after several years of serving as a middle school administrator and a high school teacher/basketball coach prior to that. Although there was much uncertainty about what the school year would be, as we were still square in the middle of a global pandemic, I was excited to begin this journey as Principal of a school where I’d been an Assistant Principal just two years before.

As we were getting ready to start the school year I received a message from one of our school counselors with a link to an article. I pulled over in a supermarket parking lot to see what this article was about. No text was included, initially, just the article link. As I shifted into park I saw the headline “Jesus said to expel the gay kid”. Curious as to what this was about I began to read. I didn’t get far before tears welled up in my eyes and a deep pain in the pit of my stomach. I was confused, angry, and sad as I read the story of a young man who was being expelled from Covenant Christian Academy in Colleyville, TX just before he was to embark on his senior year. He’d attended CCA since he was in Pre-K, was a straight A student, athlete, thespian, and an award-winning artist…and now he was being dismissed because of his sexual orientation – for being, unashamendly, who he is.

As I reached the midpoint of the article, a message notification appeared on my phone. It read “This student just enrolled at Colleyville Heritage”. My heart was broken for this student, his family, his friends. This student was Devin Bryant – the young man I described above. Devin was now a senior under our care at CHHS. So many questions ran through my mind.

In what universe is it ok to treat a kid like this?

How on earth does someone invoke the name of Jesus when seeking to exclude someone?

Why is it that this level of hate and intolerance still exists in this country?

Why can’t these people just mind their own damn business?

So many questions. I didn’t know what to do or how to make it better, but I knew that doing nothing was not an option. Devin and his family deserved love, support, encouragement, and hope. They deserved to feel a warm embrace. Devin and his family deserved to be treated with the dignity and respect that was denied them from a place where Devin grew up and, unquestionably, made a brighter place.

Through the many emotions running through my mind,  I quickly opened my Skyward app on my cell phone to retrieve the family’s contact information. I entered the phone number and sat quietly, waiting on the phone to ring. I had no idea what I was going to say to Devin’s parents – I just knew that I wanted them to know that we were so excited to have him on campus.

Within a couple of rings, a woman answered “Hello”

“Hello, This is James Whitfield, Principal of Colleyville Heritage High School. May I speak to Mr. or Mrs. Bryant please?” I asked.

“Hello Dr. Whitfield. This is Connie Bryant, Devin’s mother.” she said.

Excited to have reached Mrs. Bryant on the first try I continued “I just heard that your son, Devin, has enrolled at Colleyville Heritage and I wanted to let you all know how thrilled we are to have him with us for his Senior year.”

There was a slight pause and then Mrs. Bryant said “Oh, thank you so much, Dr. Whitfield. We are so happy to have him there. Would you like to talk to Devin?”

“I would absolutely love to,” I responded.

Mrs. Bryant put Devin on speaker phone, I introduced myself as his principal and we went on to visit for several minutes. We talked about our wonderful cross country program and I let him know how excited I was that he’d be joining to add to that greatness. We talked about the school in general, all the minor details that a new student would need to know as they walk in the door for the first time.

It was a relatively quick call that ended with me, again, telling them how excited we were to have them as part of our Panther family and them expressing gratitude for the call. As we hung up I couldn’t help but think, Colleyville Covenant’s loss is definitely Colleyville Heritage’s gain. What a phenomenal young person!

Devin had a phenomenal senior year. He lit up our campus in ways that only a Devin Bryant can. These students deserve spaces that embrace them with open arms for who they uniquely are. Sadly, adults with political agendas are hijacking their peace, their joy.

I will not sit idly by as their light is dimmed and their somethingness is questioned. This is not ok. Our kids’ lives are at stake! Please join me! Join Them. Speak up! Show up! Stand up! They deserve it!