Three people were arrested Tuesday at protests held outside a meeting of the Glendale Unified School District board, where pro-and anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrators faced off over how schools teach gender and sexuality.
Law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly after fighting broke out outside the building, officials said. The situation temporarily disrupted the meeting, which was about an hour into public comments on an agenda item calling for recognition of June as Pride Month — which board members unanimously approved late in the evening.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters had swarmed outside the building, some waving American flags and others waving Pride flags, with many documenting the scene with their smartphones. Those who were protesting the board’s LGBTQ+ policies chanted, “Leave our kids alone” while naming each of the five members of the board.
An attendee named Megan, who declined to share her last name for fear of retaliation and who said she had a child graduating from a GUSD school Wednesday, called the anti-LGBTQ+ protests “heartbreaking.”
“This is a great community, my son has received a great education here,” Megan said.
The public comment portion regarding the agenda item on Pride Month was cut short due to a shelter-in-place order for meeting attendees after fighting broke out outside the building. But most of those who did speak were in favor of LGBTQ+ acceptance, with many thanking the board for being inclusive.
Law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly after fighting broke out outside the Glendale Unified School District building.
The parent of a queer middle school student in the district said her child had faced discrimination growing up. The woman said she was grateful for the commitment by the GUSD board in protecting LGBTQ+ acceptance.
“I’ve never spoken before,” she said, “but as an actual parent, I felt that I had to be here because a lot of the opposing people don’t believe that I exist.”
But a few speakers expressed anger at the board for its policies.
“I’m here on the side of parents who want to keep the focus in schools on academics rather than on sexual orientation,” said Belissa Cohen, who identified herself as an LGB activist.
Meanwhile, the furor outside the meeting could be heard even as speakers took their turns addressing the board. Police eventually installed a yellow wire barrier near the building’s entrance.
City and school officials had expected things to become heated. The meeting was held amid an atmosphere of simmering hostility around LGBTQ+ rights that boiled over last week when protesters violently clashed at a North Hollywood elementary school over a Pride-themed assembly.
Glendale police said most of Tuesday’s protest was peaceful, but “a small group of individuals engaged in behavior deemed unsafe.” Three people were arrested on charges including obstructing officers and unlawful use of pepper spray. Following the arrests, police said “additional attempts to deescalate the crowd failed.” An unlawful assembly was declared, and at around 6 p.m. police ordered the crowd to disperse as additional officers were called in.
Inside the meeting, the livestream went dark for a few minutes before school board President Nayiri Nahabedian said law enforcement would not allow new speakers to enter the building. People were also told not to leave the building for a short time.
The scene outside the district offices remained tense well after the meeting adjourned, with demonstrators from both sides lingering on the sidewalks.
Several reports surfaced online that members of the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys were in attendance, with some leaving behind stickers promoting their group.
Board meetings have been attended by protesters for the last several weeks, with anti-LGBTQ+ activists criticizing district staffers’ handling of LGBTQ+ material and policies. Glendale police said previous clashes had included shouting but no physical confrontations.
“This is about, specifically, gender ideology being put upon and thrust upon children at Glendale Unified,” Jordan Henry, who ran unsuccessfully last year for Glendale City Council, told The Times on Tuesday prior to the meeting.
For the record:
4:08 p.m. June 7, 2023An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Jordan Henry was a candidate for Glendale City Council.
GUSD Parents Voices, a conservative group, called for parents to attend Tuesday’s meeting, posting: “Join the fight against indoctrination in our schools.”
The county has six months to form a new 15-member commission, which will be composed exclusively of people who identify as LGBTQ+, according to a motion.
LGBTQ+ advocacy organization glendaleOUT also urged supporters to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
“Tuesday, June 6 is an action of love and gratitude to our GUSD educators and administrators for all the work they’ve done this year on behalf of our entire Glendale community,” glendaleOUT said on Facebook.
“We really just want to keep the peace and keep it simple and keep the queer community safe and let them know that they’re loved,” said Grey James, a member of glendaleOUT.
Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), whose district includes Glendale, tweeted a response to the violence at Tuesday’s protests, saying children deserved to “be safe regardless of who they love or how they identify.”
After the violence and protests, when voting on recognizing June as Pride Month commenced, board President Nahabedian said this was the fourth year GUSD had called for official recognition of the month.
“This is part of our efforts to ensure that every person who enters our schools feels safe, feels seen, feels heard and valued,” she said upon introducing the resolution, which then passed unanimously.
The Glendale school on Monday released a statement and FAQ in response to criticisms raised by the anti-LGBTQ+ activists.
“Recently, intentional and harmful disinformation has been circulating about what is being taught in our district and the ways we serve our students,” the Glendale Unified School District said in a statement. “This includes disinformation about LGBTQIA+ curriculum, sex education, and supporting transgender and gender nonconforming youth.”
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