BY ATHENA THORNE

Friday, June 2, was expected to be just another run-of-the-mill episode of school authorities cramming the state religion down the throats and into the brains of impressionable youngsters. But something unexpected happened: some of the targeted minors stood up against the conditioning session. The New York Post reports:

The young protesters charged through Marshall [Simonds] Middle School in Burlington on June 2 because the school had encouraged its students to show their pride by wearing rainbow clothing, Nancy Bonassera, co-chair of the Burlington Equity Coalition, told the town's Select Committee Monday.

"There was a counter-demonstration in response to what should have been a day to celebrate where students wore red white and blue clothing chanted 'my pronouns are USA' and destroyed rainbow decorations at the school," said Bonassera.

The protesting students intimidated others who were gladly participating in the celebration [yeah, sure they were], which was organized by the school's Spectrum club for LGBTQ+ students and allies, computer science teacher Diana Marcus told BCAT News.

Most of the students accepted and wore rainbow flag stickers that were offered by school administrators until they noticed their peers ripping them off and throwing them on the floor.

"Over the course of the day you could actually see a reduction in the number of students walking around in rainbow-colored clothing. It was really tough." Marcus said, adding that the protest appeared planned.