A homecoming parade in Olathe, Kansas turned into a devastating hatefest for a group of LGBTQ high school students who had candy thrown at them and were told to kill themselves. Shouts of “Make America straight again” were heard from the crowd.
FOX4 Kansas City talked to parents and one LGBTQ student:
The girl is a member of the GSA Club at Olathe Northwest — the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. The club walked as a group in the parade, going by the neighboring elementary and middle schools, where she the student said they felt nothing but positivity and support.
She and parents said when they got back toward their school, that's when some of their classmates started aggressively shouting slurs at them, throwing candy at their faces, and yelling the phrases, “Make Olathe Northwest Straight Again” and telling the students to kill themselves.
The girl said, “People were throwing things at us, and I did hear a few words shouted at us kind of along of the lines of ‘Make America Straight Again.'”
Some of the GSA students said the kids yelling at them wore Make America Great Again hats, but Thursday was “USA day” as each day of the week had a different theme leading up to homecoming, encouraging kids to wear different attire each day of the week.”
Witnesses said it lasted a couple blocks and some students were crying after the parade. Some kids took to social media and parents reacted as well.
The school is investigating the incident, according to the principal.