Hundreds of Muslim parents in Michigan this week protested the promotion of sexually explicit, LGBT-themed books at their children’s schools during a local board of education meeting.
Niraj Warikoo, a reporter for the Detroit Free Press, chronicled the chaos that erupted on Monday in Dearborn as outraged parents criticized the board for not doing more to remove sexually explicit books from school libraries.
Frustrated parents held signs that read, “Keep your porno books to yourself — in your house, not in our kid hands” and “Homosexuality big sin.”
The crowd was mostly Muslim, as Dearborn is 47 percent Arab-American and most of them are Muslim, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Packed crowd in Dearborn for school board meeting tonight discussing LGBTQ books in schools: “If democracy matters, we’re the majority,” reads sign. “Homosexuality Big Sin,” says another. pic.twitter.com/ioJaYb15e1
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) October 10, 2022
Other parents held signs with slogans like, “If democracy matters, we’re the majority” and “Keep your dirty books in the closet.”
Overflow crowd here at Dearborn Public Schools Board meeting for debate over LGBTQ books. AFT union here in support of books. pic.twitter.com/3Rduf03Y5h
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) October 10, 2022
At one point, the crowd chanted “Vote them out!” in reference to the board of education members.
Meeting of Dearborn Schools has descended into chaos and confusion as board members walked out. Mobs opposed to some LGBTQ books took over the meeting as various factions jostled for power. Police themselves were unsure if meeting was still on. “Vote them out,” crowd chants. pic.twitter.com/YJtLWGsX7k
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) October 11, 2022
The protests, including loud booing, according to Fox News, culminated in the board shutting down the meeting, citing fire safety concerns.
Shouting between various factions as groups take over Dearborn public schools board meeting. Board members have left. Unclear if they are coming back or if meeting will restart. Heavy police presence. pic.twitter.com/XIMEqIRR1X
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) October 11, 2022
A prominent Michigan faith leader, Hassan Al-Qazwini — imam of the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights — urged the Muslim community to protest the board of education.
“Some of those books are completely inappropriate for our children to read,” Al-Qazwini told the Detroit Free Press. “Some of those books promote pornography. Some of them promote homosexuality. We don’t need this.”
Wadeea Yassir Alzabah, the protester who held the sign that read “If democracy matters, we’re the majority,” slammed the hypocrisy of liberal activists promoting the explicit LGBT books in schools.
“They are proponents of democracy, but only if it supports liberal values,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “The moment it goes against liberal values, they are authoritarian and they want to impose their own values on people.”
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