Maryland Parents Protest LGBTQ Books at School Board—'Protect Our Children'
violent clashes break out in Glendale, California, as competing protesters gathered while the Glendale Unified School District board met to discuss recognizing June as Pride Month.Parents served by the MCPS had been able to opt out of having books featuring LGBTQ+ relationships included in their children's schooling, but this policy was ended by the board, sparking anger from some campaigners.Demonstrators, including parents, according to Fox 5 Washington D.C., gathered on Tuesday as the MCPS board met to discuss the issue, with both supporters and opponents of the rule change addressing the meeting.Video posted on social media by independent video journalist Ford Fischer shows scores of demonstrators opposed to the rule change gathered outside the meeting waving placards and signs bearing slogans such as "restore opt-out" and "please accommodate, respect and protect our religious freedom." They faced off with a significantly smaller group of counter-protesters who waved Pride flags, while one held up a poster reading "Keep MCPS Free From Hate."VIDEO THREAD: "Protect our children!" Today a Muslim-led coalition rallied outside the Montgomery County Maryland School Board against the removal of an "opt-out" option from human sexuality related material.Pro-LGBT activists counter-protested, chanting "secular schools!" pic.twitter.com/48qpRDJzyMAccording to Fischer, 30 people from each side were allowed into the meeting, sparking anger from the demonstrators backing the opt-out who felt their numbers warranted more representation.The reporter claimed one Muslim speaker described ending the opt-out as "intolerance of the faith community," with another commenting: "We identify with our religion.
