ELK GROVE, Calif. — A group of Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) parents are expected to keep their kids home or stage a walk out Friday to protest the district’s campus LGBTQ clubs.
The move comes after parents say a club was started at Pleasant Grove Elementary School, and they were not told about it.
An Instagram post for the group called ‘Informed Parents of EGUSD’ says the protest is in response to “concerns regarding the UBU club, also known as the Rainbow Club, which was launched at Pleasant Grove Elementary.”
“I was a little displeased by the secrecy that was surrounding the club,” said Kyle Dixon, who is a parent at Pleasant Grove Elementary School.
Parents like Dixon say they learned about the “UBU” club earlier this year, which was started by a third-grade teacher.
Dixon and another parent Pamela say the teacher told the young students it was a safe place for “boys who crush on boys” or “girls who crush on girls.”
“It is not the club, per se, that concerns me. It's the fact that the school in the district has taken a posture of hiding this intentionally from parents,” said Dixon.
“We have gardening clubs, all these other types of clubs require parents’ permission slips,” said Pamela. “This club was not, did not require any parent permission, and was just started without us knowing.”
The school district says they are analyzing their school activities and clubs.
It comes around the same time the National Center for Law and Policy sent the district a cease-and-desist letter, demanding it suspend those clubs in all district elementary schools.
But some said during a board meeting in early March that all welcoming clubs are needed.
“LGBTQ students can no longer be bullied for who they are or who they like,” said one speaker.”
“If some of those students need some help and support to thrive in support, we should all support,” said another speaker.
Pleasant Grove Elementary parents say they are not against the LGBTQ community but they are against secrecy.
“We are not anti-LGBT. We are anti adults keeping secrets with children,” said Dixon.
“I want them to feel safe and the biggest concern here is just the fact that it was done behind our backs without us knowing,” said Pamela.
The EGUSD says they are aware a protest might be planned. But say students who miss school or miss any portion will be marked unexcused.
WATCH ALSO:
