Today’s rain brought lots of rainbows to Churchill as students celebrated their school pride, diversity and support of the LGBTQ+ community while members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketed on school grounds.
The Westboro Baptist Church, which has been categorized as a hate group, protested against the presence of a Gay Straight Alliance at Rockville High School this morning and at Churchill in the afternoon. Tomorrow, the group will be protesting at Sidwell Friends School in D.C.
In response, Churchill’s administration adamantly discouraged any counter-protests and early walkouts to ensure students’ safety. Many students wanted to take an active stance against the picket line, so the Sexuality and Gender Association helped organize an informal rally which happened right after school once the Westboro protesters had left. Claire Ryan, vice president of Whitman’s Pride Alliance, understands the Churchill students’ need to peacefully address the Westboro Baptist Church’s presence.
“My inclination is to counter-protest,” Ryan said. “The thing is that nothing we do—counterprotest or ignore—is going to make them stop. But what we can do is show support to the community, and that is done by showing up in numbers.”
Instead of a formal counter protest, the administration supported a Unity & Pride Day organized by teachers and the school’s Student Government Association, Sources of Strength club and Sexuality and Gender Association. Around half the students and many teachers came to school decked out in rainbows or their school colors to show their pride, according to Azariah Kurlantzic, president of the Sexuality and Gender Association.
Teachers and students also gave the building a spirit day makeover: they hung rainbow posters across windows and attached rainbow balloons over one of the entrances.
Churchill student Valerie Weitz was happy to simply boost school spirit rather than directly address the group.
“We’re calling it a rally because we don’t want to counter what the Westboro Baptist church is saying,” Weitz said. “We just want to show support for the LGBT community.”
