Gay teen who is being bullied shouted down by parent in yet another contentious school board meeting

‘It’s sad that we have adults acting that way,’ mother says

A parent shouted down a student at another tense school boarding meeting after the student revealed she was being bullied because of her sexuality.

The student told a meeting of the Franklin School Committee that she was gay and was being bullied and “personally attacked in school” because of it.

After 41 minutes into the meeting on Monday about protected classes against bullying, a parent stood-up and shouted down the student, Mackenzie Atwood.

“This has to stop. This is the indoctrination,” the parent, who was unidentified and was told to stand-down, told the Franklin High School student.

Mackenzie broke into tears and told the parent: “This is disgusting that you can look me in the eyes and say that I’m not being oppressed at the school”.

The chair of the school committee intervened to stop the parent’s tirade, which was labelled “appalling” and “unacceptable” by superintendent Dr Sara Ahern.

Mackenzie told CBS Boston that she panicked during the meeting, and said: “It’s so invalidating because people love to believe that being gay is a choice. It was very emotional.”

Her mother, Laura Atwood, added: “It’s sad that we have adults acting that way,” and said that parents and schools should “Teach respect. That’s the bottom line.”

The furore surrounding the school board meeting in Franklin, Massachusetts, follows reports of disorder at similar meetings around the US.

Fist fighting between parents and members of the public on the issue of Covid mandates, as well as insults. are among the acts of misbehaviour seen.