Missoula makes Pride flag as an official city flag

The Missoula City Council on Monday recognized the LGBTQ Pride flag as an official flag of the city in response to a new state law restricting the display of the flag on government property, including in public schools.

House Bill 819 limits the display of flags or banners on government property to the United States flag, an official flag of the state, other municipality or special district, tribal nations, foreign nations, as well as certain historical, military, law enforcement and school district or mascot flags. The measure does not apply to personal clothing, jewelry or accessories worn by government employees outside of dress codes. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law on May 13. 

Missoula City Attorney Ryan Sudbury said that, as he interprets the bill, the city has one official flag. It did not have a previously adopted flag, and if the council wanted to adopt a new flag, it would have to repeal the old one, Sudbury said. 

Council Member Mike Nugent said the resolution specifically recognizes the Pride flag as “an” official flag instead of “the” official flag because state statute doesn’t specify how a municipality can adopt a flag. 

Missoula’s adoption of the Pride flag allows it to be displayed in government buildings statewide, as the bill does not limit where a municipality’s flag can be displayed, Sudbury told Montana Free Press. 

The cities of Salt Lake City and Boise adopted similar measures last month in response to state laws banning traditional rainbow Pride flags at schools and government buildings, the Associated Press reported.

Council Member Jennifer Savage said during the council meeting Monday that she proposed the measure after receiving emails from parents, students and other community members concerned about Pride flags being removed from classrooms last month. 

“The Pride flag symbolizes inclusion,” she said. “When a public school teacher flies it in his or her classroom, it says to the student that has already come out that they are welcome. It symbolizes to the student who may just be coming to understand their sexual or gender identity that the classroom is a safe space. It also symbolizes to other students that hate won’t be tolerated there, and when the Pride flag disappears from classrooms at the stroke of a pen, students, teachers and allies feel a little less seen.” 

Meg Whicher, a Missoula County Public Schools trustee, said while the school district could adopt the flag to allow its continued use, it is more appropriate for the city to take it on as a community-wide effort.    

About two dozen people spoke in favor of the measure. Several teachers and students emphasized the importance of displaying a Pride flag in the classroom as a symbol of inclusion and safety. 

Hellgate High School student Cora Barnes said a small display can mean a lot to students. 

“We notice it on the first day of school,” she said. “We walk into classrooms, we notice which teachers have a welcome message and Pride flag up, and it makes us feel comforted and safe and loved.” 

Many city council members voiced support for the measure and criticized HB 819 for taking away local control. 

Council Member Bob Campbell said while HB 819 was “poorly crafted” and should not have carved out exceptions, individual values do not automatically rise to the level of something that should be an official government symbol. 

“I don’t think this is the proper path forward,” he said. “For this particular purpose and for what a government symbol should be, my view is pretty narrow — the United States flag, the state of Montana flag, and I don’t think it should be anything beyond those two.” 

Council Member Sandra Vasecka said for Missoula to remain supportive of all citizens, it should remain neutral and not take either side by adopting any flag.  

Council Member Nugent said the city can’t stay neutral because HB 819 “picked sides” and its author and the state Legislature targeted a specific group in passing the bill. 

“This selective approach, it privileges some beliefs and forms of recognition over others in government spaces, and I just think that’s absolutely wrong,” he said. “This helps us create space for kids who shouldn’t be subject to so much political posturing over things they have no control over. Creating safe spaces saves lives; it does not force anyone to believe anything they do not want to. It does not force anyone to fly this or any other flag.” 

The council approved the measure in a 9-2 vote with Campbell and Vasecka opposed. 

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, said in a written statement that the passage of the resolution by the “ultra far-left” Missoula City Council shows how necessary HB 819 is. 

“Taxpayer-owned property should represent everyone, not just the loudest political movements of the moment,” he wrote. “The Pride flag, like any other political symbol, has no place replacing a city’s identity. This is exactly why we resoundingly passed HB 819 to stop governments from hijacking public property to push ideology.” 

Mitchell said the Legislature will amend the law next session “to make sure no city can make a political symbol their official flag.”