Indiana school board member caught on camera saying 'cry me a river' over transgender suicides to LGBTQ activists
An Indiana school board member was reportedly caught on camera telling an LGBTQ activist to "cry me a river" after she was confronted about needs of transgender students which had not been met by a school under the district.
The board member, while saying the phrase, also appeared to be motion playing a violin with her arms. The protester, reportedly from the Tri-State Alliance (TSA), was at a meeting to speak with the Evansville-Vandeburgh County School Corporation school board.
The activism group has been a regular attendee of such meetings, according to the Illinois Eagle. At least six out of the 10 activists in the group signed up to speak at the meeting, however, only one was permitted to speak.
The others were allegedly denied the opportunity by board president Karen Ragland. After the TSA protested their case, five more activists were permitted to speak.
A board member, identified as Ann Ennis, reportedly approached the protesters to confront them after the meeting. In a video of the incident posted on Facebook by the TSA, one of the activists can be heard telling Ennis: "So transphobic. When you met with us, you were so transphobic."
Ennis, in response, can be seen backing away from the group as she says "cry me a river" while making a gesture with both her arms that appears to be a violin-playing motion.
"Cry me a river?" the activist asks. While another can be heard saying: "oh, cry us a river about the kids who have died?" The first activist adds: "Kids commit suicide, you don't care," and the second one adds: "you're a sh***y person."
TSA, on its Facebook page, stated that before the altercation, it had met with the board to address the safety of LGBTQ students in the school.
Although the Evansville-Vanderburgh County School Corporation has added coding to protect student sexual orientation, they have not yet added language that protects student's gender identity.
The activism organization said that there is still no support on the board to protect the interest of transgender students. The third-highest cause of death among 10 to 14-year-old Indiana citizens is suicide, according to a study published in 2017 by the Indiana State Department of Health.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, please call the national hotlines listed here: National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 / SAMHSA's (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)