Teachers are speaking out after their schools were denied participation in Chicago’s historic Pride Parade set for June 30 during Pride Month.

All the schools that participated in the 2023 parade that celebrates LGBTQ+ culture, pride and diversity have been dropped.

News broke last week that the popular parade would limit the number of groups allowed to participate to 125, about a 40% decrease, because of new city regulations.

When making decisions on which organizations to accept, the parade’s committee is prioritizing “LGBTQ+ groups and organizations, LGBTQ+-owned businesses and those businesses with LGBTQ+ ERGs (Employee Resource Groups),” PRIDEChicago, which produces the event, said last week in a statement.

But Motoko L. Maegawa, a teacher at Catherine Cook School — which was denied entry this year — said the parade would largely involve the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, an LGBTQ+ organization.

“If they would have asked, they would have known we are an LGBTQ organization,” said Maegawa, who also serves as the school’s director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “What they told us doesn’t mirror what they are saying to the media. … We want them to be held accountable for their decision.”

Parade organizers said the parade was “downsizing this year due to safety and logistics concerns raised by the city.”

“As with all major events in the city, we are constantly evaluating options to improve safety while also delivering the best experience for our visitors, residents and community,” said city of Chicago spokesperson Erica Schroeder.

But in an email to the denied schools, organizers didn’t mention safety concerns.

“You may have heard that the City of Chicago has formulated new rules for parades,” the email said. “Among those rules is a cap on the number of entries. … We simply don’t have the luxury of space in this smaller parade to invite you to return this year. We hope that you understand and will march along with us in spirit this year.”

According to an email reviewed by the Sun-Times, all of the schools that participated in the 2023 parade were cut.

The denied schools include: Francis W. Parker School, Catherine Cook School, Near North Montessori School, Rogers Park Montessori School, Lycée Français de Chicago and Nettelhorst School.

It is unclear whether new school applicants were approved to participate.

Parade organizers Monday did not comment on school participants but said, “We understand there will be disappointed groups unable to march with us in 2024. We’d love to [have] included every group.”

Karen Liszka, a teacher at Francis W. Parker School, confirmed her school was “disinvited” from the parade. Their group includes both adults and students, and she said not allowing allies to participate will hinder the kids’ learning about groups that are unlike themselves.

“The Pride event is supposed to be one of the most inclusive places that you can go, where you can be your authentic self and and not be in any fear to do so,” she said. “And not having community in the form of school, which embodies and reflects the community at large, seems a bit ironic.”

Liszka noted that nonprofits and schools pay a much smaller entry fee than corporations and politicians.

National franchises and corporations pay over six times more than a nonprofit to participate in the parade, according to 2023 documents reviewed by the Sun-Times.

The schools are six of around 70 cuts that still need to be made, according to the new parade standards set by the city’s Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Police Department.

It is unclear which other organizations will be cut, but all of the remaining organizations do not appear to be LGBTQ+ groups, organizations or businesses.

The White Sox, Rush University Medical Center and Dream Town Real Estate confirmed to the Sun-Times they will be in attendance.

“I believe the point of Pride is to create an environment that’s welcoming, educational and inclusive,” Liszka said. “Whenever you impose restrictions or limits, then you lessen the ability to do that.”

Mariah Rush is a staff reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times via Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster the paper’s coverage of communities on the South and West sides.