June 2 (UPI) -- Protests erupted outside of a North Hollywood elementary school Friday morning after a gay-pride event was held at the school.
Some protesters wore shirts that read "Leave Our Kids Alone" or carried signs featuring the same phrase and others, including "No Sexualizing Our Kids," "Our Protest Is Against LAUSD," and "Parental Choice Matters," according to NBC Los Angeles.
The event featured a reading of a book titled "The Great Big Book of Families," which highlights diversity.
"There is no sex education specific to the book that's being read today," Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Friday, according to NBC Los Angeles. "The book portrays a reality that is not only common, but is real to our kids."
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Before the event, a Pride flag that had been on display was burned outside a classroom. On Friday, some punches were thrown between the protesters who opposed the event and others who were in favor of allowing it.
Parents who were opposed to the event created an Instagram page called Saticoy Elementary Parents, which said the subject matter was "an inappropriate topic for our kids!"
However, Carvalho has said the book was approved by the school district.
"I think there's fairly good awareness as to what the book represents (and) what the book does not represent," Carvalho said. "But as I said, people today easily pick political sides and decide to stick to the political sides, while to a certain extent ignoring the reality and the truth. So there's general awareness as to what the book represents.''
