Brawls break out as parents protest Pride event at LA’s Saticoy Elementary School
A Pride Month event at a Los Angeles-area elementary school devolved into multiple brawls on Friday as parent protesters forced police to intervene just a few weeks after a trans teacher’s Pride flag was burned on the premises.
Over 100 parents rallied against the Pride Day assembly at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Many of the outraged protesters held signs with messages like “Parental choice matters” and “No pride in grooming,” the outlet said. One truck had a large trailer draped in a red banner stating, “Leave our kids alone.”
They faced off against over 100 other demonstrators gathered across the street in support of LGBTQIA+ rights and Pride Month, which kicked off on June 1.
At least two scuffles took place at the tense event, according to NBC Los Angeles. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured or arrested.
The Friday Gay Pride and Rainbow Day assembly was set to include a reading of “The Great Big Book of Families” by Mary Hoffman, the outlet noted.
Parents could request that their children not attend the program, but Los Angeles Unified District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho reassured parents outside the school on Friday that there was “no sex education specific to the book.”
“The book portrays a reality that is not only common, but is real to our kids,” he said, adding that the material was approved by the school district.
One woman, Karine, 40, told the LA Times that she was fed up with “propaganda,” and was frustrated that her Saticoy third-grader came home from school with rainbow stickers and other items last week.
“I didn’t come from Armenia for this,” she said of the inclusive material.
“I came for freedom and for my children to learn about math and education, not about this. I might go back home.”
One of the clashes took place when Karine and other protesters attempted to cross the street to the pro-Pride side, which prompted police to intervene, the outlet said.
Renato Lira, director of the San Fernando Valley LGBTQ Center in Van Nuys, yelled at the protesters to “get educated.”
“They needed to talk to actual gay people and parents,” he told the LA Times.
Tabitha Davis, 44, arrived at the protest draped in a transgender pride flag and wearing a sweater that read, “You deserve to be happy.”
“I feel like it’s my position and my place to fight for others to feel safe,” Davis, whose child is a trans student at another district school, said.
The group behind Friday’s protest, Saticoy Elementary Parents, insisted on social media that they were not against LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“We want to reiterate that our protest is in no way an attack on the LGBTQ community,” the group wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
“We recognize the importance of promoting equality and acceptance for all individuals.”
Even so, they distributed fliers urging parents to keep their kids “home and innocent” rather than attend Friday’s event.
Tensions within the Saticoy community have been simmering for several weeks and came to a head late last month when a transgender teacher’s small Pride flag was burned during the weekend of May 20-21.
Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Security outside the school was also heightened on Friday, and included Los Angeles Police Department officers, the outlet said.
In a statement, the Los Angeles Unified School District said it “remains committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all students” in the face of controversy.
