North Hollywood School Braces for Anti-LGBTQ Boycott
Today marks the start of LGBTQ Pride Month. A number of schools will commemorate their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and families with events or displays. But not everyone is happy about it. Protests are planned at some schools and, in this highly charged political environment, the backlash could get ugly.
Saticoy Elementary School in the San Fernando Valley is one such flashpoint. A Gay Pride and Rainbow Day assembly planned for Friday has stoked outrage among some parents and activists.
A protest flier urges families to “keep your kids home and innocent” on June 2.
“We said no to COVID-19 vaccines and it’s now over. It was a hard fought battle and we won! Now it is time to say stop grooming our children,” protest organizers wrote on Instagram.
The situation has ratcheted up ahead of Friday’s assembly. On May 22, a transgender teacher at Saticoy reportedly discovered that their Pride flag, which was being displayed in a flower pot, had been burned.
“We experienced a break-in over the weekend at Saticoy Elementary that resulted in vandalism and is being investigated as a hate-motivated incident,” the school said in an email to parents. “We are cooperating with law enforcement. This is a reminder that we rely on our entire school community to keep our school safe and secure by reporting any suspicious activity on campus after hours. If you see something, say something.”
The Los Angeles Unified School District has since removed the teacher from the school for their own safety. Other staff members told the Los Angeles Times they feel unsafe ahead of Friday’s boycott.
“I think it’s definitely a nationwide conservative right trend,” one teacher said. "The anti-woke stuff. You see it all the time.”
To report a hate crime, visit CAvsHate.org or call 833-8-NO-HATE.
