Supporters of gender neutral bathroom rally in full force
LGBT student and community supporters brought out rainbow flags and signs Wednesday in South Central, saying the new gender neutral bathrooms at Santee Educational Complex were here to stay. One of the 15-stall bathrooms just opened to both boys and girls Friday.
"We're showing them that we're not scared. We're showing them we don't regret it and those restrooms are not going to come down! They're going to stay there." said Kween Robinson.
The rally comes one day after a protest led by opponents of the co-ed bathroom got physical.
A video taken Tuesday shows adult protestors and students clashing.
"Some cops showed up because they started screaming and next thing you know someone threw a water bottle and you see a kid punch em," said Alonzo Hernandez.
The bathroom change was something students in the Gay Straight Alliance spent months campaigning for.
"People were getting bullied a lot. We took a step for that to not happen anymore," said student Sandy Rafael.
No one was seriously injured during Tuesday's rally.
Santee's principal Martin Gomez says he hopes to keep it that way, announcing Wednesday morning the school brought in more counselors and police.
Officers blocked off all three streets leading to the school.
Students say they get why the bathroom has attracted attention, but hope the anger turns to understanding
"I already understood people were going to say something. I understood there were going to be social media attacks. But understand you're not walking these hallways everyday. Understand we walk those halls every day. And we're trying to make students feel more comfortable," said Robinson.
The school wants people who are concerned about the issue to know there are also nine other single gender bathrooms.
Late Wednesday afternoon, a preacher from the street preacher organization "Bible Believers" said he was attacked during Tuesday's protest and released this statement to FOX 11:
"We attempted to present a peaceful demonstration by preaching the word of God and exercising our 1st Amendment right. It is our agenda to speak out against moral depravity and that includes gender neutral bathrooms. We believe it is opening the door to sexual perversion and promiscuity. We used an unreasonable amount of restraint because we knew they were children. However, I don't believe I was attacked for what I was preaching. I believe I was assaulted because I was white. The other preachers were African American and Hispanic and were not assaulted. If the LAUSD continues to open gender neutral bathrooms they should expect to see us very often."
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