Parents hold counter-protest at Princeton Middle School in support of HiTOPS and LGTBQ+ education
About 10 parents stood outside of Princeton Middle School to stage a counterprotest in support of HiTOPS the day after two parents protested the presence of the nonprofit at the school this week.
HiTOPS is a Princeton-based nonprofit that provides sex education and LGTBQ+ programs for young people in schools in New Jersey.
On Thursday morning, two local parents stood outside of the school to protest the HiTOPS program at the school this week. The parents carried signs that said “You’re not oppressed. You’re not an oppressor. Stop HiTOPS,” and “Tell the school and HiTOPS to stop indoctrinating students to be little red guards for their cultural revolution!”
On Friday the two returned. Police kept the two and the group of counterprotesters separate. Students referred to the group of counter-protesters as “moms with nice signs.”
Students can be opted out of health and physical education sex education teaching in New Jersey, but cannot be opted out of instruction about diversity and inclusion, LGTBQ+ people, or people with disabilities under the state’s LGTB Disabilities Law and the Diversity and Inclusion law. Under the state’s Diversity and Inclusion law, each school district must incorporate instruction on diversity and inclusion, including sexual and gender identity, in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students K-12 as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
Read our previous story about the Thursday protest on our website.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
The right to protest may be legal but if my children were still in the school system, I would be frightened by people protesting outside of a school. Approaching and talking to children who are strangers is a threatening, bullying and mean spirited tactic. Asking children to give their name and other personal information and recording their response would seem to be predatory behavior and should be punished under any laws that exist. Parents, please instruct your children of any age, 3 – 18, to never offer their name or any other information to strangers.
And if you don’t want your children in the program you can opt out.
Did the district send an email offering students counseling after todays protest?
Nice article.