Parents divided over LGBTQ+ mural at Imperial High School

Some parents want LGBTQ+ mural removed from Imperial High School wall - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Outrage surfaces over an LGBTQ+ mural put up at Imperial High School. Now some parents are asking for it to be taken down.

The high school says at first it was just a poster, but that got vandalized by a student. That's when the school decided to put up a mural.

One parent thinks the mural sends the right message. Kelli Maielli says kids have the right to freedom of expression.

“The kids at school deserve to feel safe and respected regardless, it is not a promotion of sexuality one way or another, it is an invitation for people to treat each other as human beings,” she said.

Not all parents agree however, some are calling for its removal.

William is a parent at Imperial High School, he says he supports such rights but does not believe that school is the right place.

“My brother-in-law is gay I don’t have anything against gay people I think they all should have rights and be free the way they think but I don’t think a school is a place for that," he said.

Another parent by the name of Genevieve also feels the same.

"I feel that students should be concentrating on their schooling rather than sexual orientation,” she said.

Joe Apodaca, the schools principal says the mural is temporary, but he will always step up to support his students and to show inclusion for all students.

“We stand for anything that is positive and that is a testament to our students and our teachers,” he said.

Although the mural will come down eventually, Apodoca says as of now this mural will remain on the wall at Imperial High School.