A planned Pride event at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood, California, has sparked controversy in the neighborhood, and on Friday, parents and counter-protesters clashed outside the school, heightening tensions. Manuk Grigoryan, a California father of four, has declared a boycott of the school in response to complaints that administrators have disregarded parents' worries.
Grigoryan, who was joined by many other parents, protested the school's conduct of the Pride event on the streets and vowed not to send his kids back until he could speak with administrators face-to-face.
Ignored Concerns about Pride Event
According to the article in Fox News, the youngsters were "too young," said Grigoryan. He made it clear that his issue was more than just with the book's content. He claimed that the goal was for the book to be read, then there would be a debate to clarify what was heard and read. The kids completely disregarded their parents and refused to communicate when attempts were made to have a conversation with them. He was irritated by this indifference and came to the conclusion that the school was not a secure place for his kids. He thus said that unless the authorities resolved the issue by starting a conversation with the parents, he would not permit his kids to return to school.
The reading of "The Great Big Book of Families" during the scheduled assembly sparked the uproar. The book presents several family types, including those with parents who identify as LGBTQ+. While some parents objected to their kids being exposed to such material without their permission, the Associated Press claimed that more protesters opposed the assembly than in favor of it. Some demonstrators wore T-shirts with the words "No Pride in Grooming" and "Leave our Kids Alone."
Grigoryan made clear that he was specifically against the book being read to his 8-year-old twin girls without their agreement. According to the shared story in the Arizona Republican Party, he said that when they learned about the gathering at the beginning of May, they repeatedly tried to contact the school's administration and request a meeting. Despite their meeting with the principal, Grigoryan expressed dismay that she was unable to help.
They, therefore, tried to contact L.A. Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent of schools and made many attempts to get in touch with him. However, Grigoryan claimed that Carvalho consciously chose not to notice their concerns and ignored every opportunity they had to interact with him. They felt obligated to take their complaints to the streets as a final resort since they were frustrated by this lack of response.
The Rise of Tension Leading to Chaos
Parent Karine, 40, joined a group of parents protesting against LGBTQ+ education. In the article in Los Angeles Times, she voiced worries about her child being bullied and stated that she preferred for her kids to concentrate on math and school rather than LGBTQ+ issues.
The parents got into a contentious discussion with Renato Lira, the head of a nearby LGBTQ+ organization, who urged them to educate themselves and socialize with homosexual people and parents. A parent educator named Tabitha Davis, who has a transgender kid, arrived to assist families that are being harassed. As the two groups fought, tensions rose, and authorities had to step in to separate them.
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