Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," hugs Nicole Hadding after Hadding spoke in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes School Board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
The Detroit Lakes School Board rescinded its July 2026 action that prompted an ACLU lawsuit as it prepares to amend its policy on non-school materials.
DETROIT LAKES — In a crowded and contentious meeting Monday, Sept. 28, the Detroit Lakes School Board voted to rescind its July action that prohibited rainbow stickers, flags and buttons on school grounds.
The moves come amid a lawsuit against the district and some Board members filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two Detroit Lakes students and their families.
More than 100 people attended the meeting at Detroit Lakes City Hall, many of whom were wearing rainbows.
Popular social media creator Amber Estenson, known online as “That Midwestern Mom,” is one of the plaintiffs and was the first to speak at Monday’s meeting.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Amber Estenson, social media's “That Midwestern Mom,” speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
She said despite the Board’s backtracking on the issue, the damage has already been done.
“Before this ban, there was no crisis and there was no incident demanding this policy, and there was no groundswell of parents asking for it, but it's a problem now," she said. “It was created by the majority of this board, that problem. Families now feel unwelcome in our own schools and kids feel singled out because of who they are.”
In the suit filed Sept. 22, the ACLU alleged that in July, the Detroit Lakes School Board ordered “the immediate removal of all non-school materials not funded, sponsored, or authorized by the school district. This includes but is not limited to any rainbow stickers, posters, flags, buttons, etc. displayed in Detroit Lakes Public Schools facilities.”
Based on obtained text and email communication, the ACLU also claims four of the six-member Detroit Lakes School Board were sharing articles and information from the website “Courage is a Habit” shortly before the action that demonstrated “anti-LGBTQ+ animus.” The website states it provides “actionable tools and tactics for parents so they confidently fight for their children without apology” with the tagline, “Reject inclusion. EMBRACE EXCLUSION. Make courage your habit.”
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Detroit Lakes school board members listen as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Students and staff have noticed the removal of safe space and rainbow pride messages at Bemidji Area Schools under a "viewpoint-neutral stance" implemented by the district.
The lawsuit also alleges that the four who voted in favor of the ban violated the state’s open meeting laws by planning to add this item on the agenda, without notifying two other members of the Board or the public.
Detroit Lakes resident Perry Bertek was one of two who spoke in favor of the Board’s since-rescinded action. He encouraged members of the public to “get off of your computers” and speak with some of the families who have chosen to homeschool their students.
Wendy Fritz, former faculty adviser for the Detroit Lakes’ Gay-Straight Alliance club, said she introduced the rainbow stickers that were previously on some doors in the district more than 10 years ago.
“When you remove symbols of support in the name of neutrality, you are not being neutral,” Fritz said. “You are making a choice, and the result of that choice is that students who once saw a visible sign that meant you're safe here, you belong here, no longer see it. That is not neutrality.”
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
An audience member raises a fist during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Policy 505 governs the distribution and display of non-school-sponsored materials on school premises by students and employees at Detroit Lakes Public Schools. At the meeting Monday, the Board hosted a first reading of an amended policy that includes a segment on “viewpoint neutrality.”
The policy under consideration in Detroit Lakes is a copy of a materials policy also under consideration at Hastings schools. While no vote was taken on the policy, the two members who voted against the so-called “Pride Ban” in July attempted to discuss the changes and how they pertain to Detroit Lakes.
1 of 20 — John Steffl , Detroit Lakes Board school board chair, listens as Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
John Steffl, Detroit Lakes Board school board chair, listens as Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
2 of 20 — An audience member uses a rainbow-colored fan during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
An audience member uses a rainbow-colored fan during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
3 of 20 — Tirzah Sandoval, Detroit Lakes Early Learning Services, Special Education paraprofessional, waits to address the Detroit Lakes school board.jpg
Tirzah Sandoval, Detroit Lakes Early Learning Services, Special Education paraprofessional, waits to address the Detroit Lakes school board during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
4 of 20 — School board members Michelle Okeson and Sanford Nelson react as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
School board members Michelle Okeson and Sanford Nelson react as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
5 of 20 — Julie Smith-Yliniemi, Detroit Lakes Board Secretary, addresses school board chair, John Steffl.jpg
Julie Smith-Yliniemi, Detroit Lakes Board Secretary, addresses school board chair, John Steffl during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
6 of 20 — An attendee holds up a rainbow flag as she speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
An attendee holds up a rainbow flag as she speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
7 of 20 — An audience member holds up a sign during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
An audience member holds up a sign during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
8 of 20 — Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, and other audience members applaud after Nicole Hadding speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," and audience members applaud after Nicole Hadding speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
9 of 20 — Detroit Lakes parent, Nicole Hadding, shakes Tom Seaworths hand, a former school board member, after he spoke in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Detroit Lakes parent, Nicole Hadding, shakes Tom Seaworth's hand, a former school board member, after he spoke in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
10 of 20 — Detroit Lakes school board member, Michael Walther, reacts as attendees respond to discussion on an issue to prohibit transgender students from playing on girls sports teams.jpg
Detroit Lakes school board member, Michael Walther, reacts as attendees respond to discussion on an issue to prohibit transgender students from playing on girls sports teams during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
11 of 20 — Mary Rottier, Detroit Lakes school board vice chair, listens as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Mary Rottier, Detroit Lakes school board vice chair, listens as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
12 of 20 — Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban at the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban at the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
13 of 20 — Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, reacts as an attendee speaks to the Detroit Lakes school board in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," reacts as an attendee speaks to the Detroit Lakes school board in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
14 of 20 — Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, hugs Nicole Hadding after Hadding spoke in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Amber Estenson, social media's "That Midwestern Mom," hugs Nicole Hadding after Hadding spoke in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes School Board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
15 of 20 — Detroit Lakes school board members listen as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Detroit Lakes school board members listen as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
16 of 20 — Julie Smith-Yliniemi, Detroit Lakes Board Secretary, reacts as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Julie Smith-Yliniemi, Detroit Lakes Board Secretary, reacts as an attendee speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
17 of 20 — Tom Seaworth, former school board member, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Tom Seaworth, former school board member, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
18 of 20 — Detroit Lakes parent, Nicole Hadding, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
Detroit Lakes parent, Nicole Hadding, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
19 of 20 — 02 Amber Estenson, social media's That Midwestern Mom, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban.jpg
Amber Estenson, social media's “That Midwestern Mom,” speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
20 of 20 — A closeup of an audience member's water bottle sticker during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.jpg
A closeup of an audience member's water bottle sticker during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
“I read the policy as the administrators get to decide what would be appropriate in this school. That's what I read about the policy,” said Board member Julie Smith-Yliniemi. “Right now, our administrators feel the stickers are fine in our school. So that's how I'm reading the policy.”
Board member Michael Walther encouraged other members to submit their concerns— and what they would like to see included and excluded in the policy — ahead of the next meeting.
“It's my feeling that a lot of the chaos that's come has become, because we've placed, we've gone with the [Minnesota School Board Association] policy,” Walther said, which he described as “intentionally vague.”
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Tom Seaworth, former school board member, speaks in opposition to the rainbow ban during the Detroit Lakes school board meeting on Sept. 28, 2026, at Detroit Lakes City Hall.
While no sitting Board members agreed to provide comment to KAXE after the meeting, former Board member Tom Seaworth recapped some of his comments made earlier in the meeting.
“One of the most important things as a school board member is [to] minimize risk to your district, and this obviously has exposed the Board as dysfunctional,” he said. “There's a lack of communication and it's all because there were a couple people who brought their own personal political issues to a district where the issue was nonexistent.”
A vote on the amended policy is anticipated at the October meeting.
During the Phenology Report for the week of Sept. 29, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer remarks on overwintering butterflies, changing colors, and hummingbirds.
Minnesota’s local elected offices are legally nonpartisan. In this contributed essay, Majority in the Middle's Executive Director Shannon Watson looks at what that means for voters, candidates and local government.
The KAXE Music Team on new releases from The Mary Wallopers, Humbird, Leon Bridges, Julia Jacklin, Jake Bugg, Kelley Smith, and Kings of Leon and Petty's debut as our Pick Of '76.
Larissa Donovan has been in the Bemidji area's local news scene since 2016, joining the KAXE newsroom in 2023 after several years as the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our site. Please see our
republishing guidelines
for use of any other photos and graphics.
During the Phenology Report for the week of Sept. 29, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer remarks on overwintering butterflies, changing colors, and hummingbirds.
MusicGet to know the volunteers behind the mic on KAXE. This week we find out more from On The River and After Dark DJ and volunteer, Mark Klabunde.
Minnesota’s local elected offices are legally nonpartisan. In this contributed essay, Majority in the Middle's Executive Director Shannon Watson looks at what that means for voters, candidates and local government.
MusicThe KAXE Music Team on new releases from The Mary Wallopers, Humbird, Leon Bridges, Julia Jacklin, Jake Bugg, Kelley Smith, and Kings of Leon and Petty's debut as our Pick Of '76.
Children's librarian Tracy Kampa reviews new books by Sophie Blackall, Chelsea Lin Wallace, Steve Sheinkin and Meaghan McIsaac.
