A Pride celebration at a middle school in Burlington, Massachusetts, turned into a “day of intolerance” earlier this month, with students tearing down rainbow decorations and chanting their pronouns were “U.S.A.”
Reports the Boston Globe:
Parents and residents condemned the “counter-protest” during a Select Board meeting Monday night and urged officials to reinstate the board’s diversity, equity, and inclusion, orDEI, subcommittee. A School Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night, as officials face calls to fill a DEI administration role in the district that has been vacant since fall.
“These displays of intolerance and homophobia are unacceptable and impact the whole community,” said Nancy Bonassera, co-chair of the Burlington Equity Coalition, during the meeting.
“We challenge Burlington town leadership to take an active stand against hate under the guise of ‘free expression,’ ” Bonassera said.
At issue is an incident at Marshall Simonds Middle School on June 2, as the school’s LGBTQ+ student organization celebrated the beginning of Pride Month with a spirit day event, according to letters to parents from Superintendent Eric Conti and Principal Cari Perchase.
The student organization, called the Spectrum Group, invited students to wear rainbow clothing. They also handed out rainbow stickers to students and posted Pride signs.
According to the letters from administrators, some other students tore down the banners and signs while chanting “U.S.A. are my pronouns,” and intimidated students and staffers who were supporting the Spectrum event.
“I want to publicly state that I stand in solidarity and support of the members of the LGBTQ community who were impacted by these events,” Perchase wrote. “I am truly sorry that a day meant for you to celebrate your identity turned into a day of intolerance.”
Perchase said “specific acts of intolerance” were directed toward students and faculty members “who were showing their Pride and support for the LGBTQ+ community.” She said some students “glared intimidatingly at faculty members for showing pride.”
Word of the incident began spreading on social media that day. Carl Foss, a father of two elementary school students and former member of the Burlington School Committee, said he was disheartened to learn what had taken place.
“I think that in Massachusetts we sometimes get complacent and think we’re insulated from this type of hate,” he said Monday. “There are a lot of efforts ongoing at the schools, but it’s obvious there needs to be more done both in the schools [and] at the town level.”
Read the complete Boston Globe story here.
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