Earlier this month a Burlington, Massachusetts middle school students’ group organized an approved LGBTQ+ pride celebration, but some students protested by tearing down pro-LGBTQ posters, wearing red, white and blue clothing and painting their faces, while some chanted, “my pronouns are USA.”
“According to a letter to parents from Marshall Simonds Middle School Principal Cari Perchase, the incident took place during a school-approved spirit day celebrating Pride month on Friday, June 2. The spirit day was requested and sponsored by Spectrum Club — a student group for LGBTQ+ students and allies,” Boston.com reports.
“As part of the event, the letter said, Spectrum Club decorated the school with handmade ‘Happy Pride Month’ signs and educational posters with messages such as ‘Why it’s not ok to say ‘That’s so gay’.’ The club members also put up rainbow streamers and Pride flag banners, handed out rainbow stickers, and invited students and faculty to wear rainbow clothing.”
According to multiple reports, no one was required or forced to participate.
Parents, reportedly mostly those with LGBTQ children, attended a select board meeting this week.
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Among those who spoke out is Andrea Bono-Bunker, a librarian and former high school teacher who Boston.com reports “called on the select board to speak out against the anti-Pride protest and foster dialogue about minority-directed hate in the community.”
“’Seemingly small acts like the one that occurred at Marshall Simonds yesterday are influential acts,’ she said, reading from an email she sent to the select board on June 3.”
The letter also asked: “How many children felt power yesterday by committing an act of intimidation? How many children had a seed of homophobia planted in them yesterday? How many children now feel worse about themselves because of what they witnessed or experienced yesterday? How many children now think that being part of or supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community is unAmerican?”
Now that the story has spread, right-wing extremists are taking this as a culture war win.
Some on the right are applauding the students who destroyed the Pride celebration and left their fellow classmates feeling stigmatized or traumatized. Some right-wing extremist leaders like Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk are falsely claiming students were requited to participate by wearing “mandatory pride clothing.”
Several right wing websites have claimed students were “forced” to participate, which according to mainstream media reports is false.
“People can celebrate whatever they want,” a writer at the far right wing website RedState said. “This is America. But requiring everyone to participate in these celebrations, and then ostracizing or labeling someone homophobic or transphobic if they choose not to is unfair, mean-spirited, and un-American.”
Except, that’s not what happened, according to multiple reports. Students weren’t forced to participate. Some who chose not to reportedly also chose to behave “inappropriately,” as the principal wrote to parents.
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“Massachusetts middle schoolers stage anti-Groomer protest in school after being told to wear Pride clothing, reads a Twitter post by a popular right-wing account with nearly 900,000 followers. “Kids know when they’re being groomed and I’m proud of these kids for resisting!”
Even on the school’s Facebook page, which many students likely can access, anti-LGBTQ comments related to the Pride event were written on the most recent posts.
Crisis in the Classroom reports, “several members of the community told the BPS school committee Tuesday that students have long felt ‘unsafe’ in the district. A former BPS student claimed that the events of June 2 were not a ‘one-off incident.'”
“‘Hearing homophobic language is a casual occurrence,’ Nate Carey told the BPS school committee. ‘Showing support for the LGBTQ community is essential, especially for young people to feel accepted as they grow.’
Local ABC Boston affiliate WCVB‘s report largely featured parents opposed to the LGBTQ Pride event.
Watch below or at this link.