This story I bring to your attention occurred in Pasco County, and I feel it carries relevance. This issue has received national media attention. It is regarding a firefighter father named Shawn Hayston and his ordeal with the Pasco County School Board (PCSB) and the principal of Pine View Middle School. Mr. Hayston and a group of other concerned parents visited the school on August 22, 2022, and got a very cold reception from the school’s principal, Ms. Jennifer Warren. As in standard protocol, the parents provided identifications and their children’s names upon entering the school. However, from what I understand, Mr. Hayston and other parents in the group had many questions that went unanswered (or answered unsatisfactorily). One of the items of controversy was the many “Safe Space” stickers arranged in the rainbow fashion of the LGBTQ colors. Many parents perceive the safe space to be where school staff coach kids on controversial situations and ideas and hide these discussions from parents. PCSB has since ordered the removal of the stickers.
The next day, the principal called Mr. Hayston’s supervisor at Hillsborough Fire and Rescue and posted a harassment and trespassing claim against him. The false claims caused Hayston to go through a whole bunch of unnecessary harassment and loss of time. This fire department was where he faithfully and courageously served the public for nearly 20 years. Mr. Hayston told Tucker Carlson (aired on Jan. 23, 2022) that because of the incident with not only this principal but the Pasco County School Board, he is now getting ready to run for a seat on that board!
Media reports showed a mural on one of the corridor walls at Pine View showing a young school girl wearing a gas mask and carrying a sign that reads, ‘HATE HAS NO HOME HERE.’ The painting seemed a very negative (borderline activist) thing to be put before children in that place. Since this whole dealing with the principal (and the supporting school board), the mural has been painted over.
Mr. Hayston and the concerned parents are watchdogs for the children of Pasco County.
In closing, I feel that today’s youth should have more people helping to guide them through that time in their lives, which will steer them to be morally responsible leaders for tomorrow’s world.
