A new school for LGBTQ students and allies is set to open this fall in New Haven. This hour, we preview the plans for PROUD Academy with founder and executive director Patty Nicolari, and hear from Maddie and Tiffanie, a prospective student and their parent in Fairfield.

Nicolari says this would be the first school for LGBTQ youth in Connecticut, and at least the fifth in the U.S.

But first, the U.S Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating a discrimination complaint filed by several Farmington parents, alleging the district didn’t step in to stop LGBTQ bullying. We hear from one of those parents, Melissa Combs.

Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Kathy Greider's office confirmed the district is working through the complaint with OCR in a statement, and cited district policies and efforts around equity and inclusion. The statement also notes that “the district has a different perspective on the factual allegations” in the complaint, but that “we respect the process and will be working with OCR to assist them in their review of these issues.”

The investigation is "believed to be the first of its kind in New England," news-farmington-lgbtq-ocr-schools-20220821-oc5squqmcbc7pken4yllqrimqm-story.html">per the Courant, focusing on seven of the ten allegations in the complaint.

• Melissa Combs: Farmington Parent
• Patty Nicolari: Founder and Executive Director, PROUD Academy
• Tiffanie Wong: Fairfield Parent
• Maddie Joyella: Fairfield Student

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