Around 10:45 this morning, hundreds of students at Lafayette High School left their classrooms and headed outside, waving rainbow flags, chanting, and holding signs supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Fifteen minutes later at Dunbar High School, the same protest began. Ace Courtad who uses the pronoun they, sparked the movement. Their main concern is SB 150. of the measure would prohibit education leaders from requiring policies to keep students’ information confidential from their parents.
"There are so many in our community which are LGBTQ Plus, and this bill would force them to be outed to their families against their will, even in unsafe situations," Courtad told WUKY.
SB 150 also requires that parents be given notice and an opportunity to review materials before human sexuality instruction is given at their children’s school and gives educators the option to use pronouns aligned with a student’s gender identity, but not require it.
I asked Courtad what they would say to lawmakers if they could meet with them face to face. Their eyes welled with tears.
"Please don't pass this bill. This bill will do way more harm than good and it will destroy our community and the next generation beyond ours," they said.
Not all students participated in the walk-out and teachers stayed inside with those who chose not to.
I reached out to Fayette County Public Schools officials for their reaction to the protest but so far have not received a response.
