Global Courant
GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — Protesters briefly clashed Tuesday as a Southern California school district decided whether to recognize June as Pride month.
Several hundred people gathered in the parking lot of Glendale Unified School District headquarters, divided between those who support or oppose exposing youth to LGBTQ+ issues in schools.
Some opponents wore T-shirts that read, “Leave our children alone.”
It was the same slogan used by some demonstrators outside Saticoy Elementary School in Los Angeles last Friday to protest a planned Pride rally.
As in Glendale, police officers had to separate groups of protesters and counter-protesters who came to blows.
In the entire country, Pride month celebrations begin amid rising backlash in some places against LGBTQ+ rights. Community parade organizers, school districts, and even professional sports terms have faced protests for the waving of rainbow flags and in honor of drag performers. While some Republican-led states are restricting classroom conversations about gender and sexuality and banning gender-affirming care, some Democratic cities and states are seeking to expand LGBTQ+ rights and honor the contributions of the community.
In Glendale, police quickly intervened to stop clashes, separated the two groups and cleared the parking lot. Police said they have arrested two people on suspicion of obstructing officers and one person for unlawfully using pepper spray. TV reports also showed a man being taken away after lying in the street and refusing to move.
No injuries were reported.
In the crowded conference room late Tuesday evening, for the fifth year in a row, the school board passed a resolution to designate June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
However, most of those addressing the school board discussed broader issues of how sex and gender are treated in district policies, with supporters arguing that LGBTQ+ children should feel safe and included in the classroom, while opponents argue that schools are taking over parental authority and apply unnecessary pressure. and even harmful views of gender.
In an earlier statement, the district said “deliberate and harmful misinformation is circulating about what is being taught” and said it follows state law and education policy.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified School District school board voted unanimously to recognize Pride Month. The resolution also encouraged all schools in the country’s second-largest district to include lessons about the LGBTQ+ community in their curriculum and reaffirmed a “commitment to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all LGBTQ+ people.” students, families and staff. “
