NY school board meeting descends into chaos over ‘LGBTQIA+' book as parents voice outrage
A large and animated crowd of parents gathered in a Monroe County auditorium on Tuesday and voiced their concerns to the superintendent and Penfield school board about their young children having access to the book 'The Rainbow Parade: A Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Identities and Allies.'
The controversial book tells the story of a young girl and her two mothers attending an LGBT parade and follows a child who is exploring their 'gender identity.' The book's lesson for kids is to 'break down stereotypes and embrace diversity,' according to a description.
'The Rainbow Parade' includes depictions of a naked person shown from behind, furries, and a gay couple outfitted in leather, BDSM (bondage/domination/sado-masochism) attire.
Students that were shown the book were in grades 1 through 5 — meaning they are roughly ages 5 through 11.
Parents in Penfield were not pleased and let Superintendent Tasha Potter get a taste of their anger.
'If you think that that's appropriate for children to see, then there's something wrong with you,' John Feathers, a father, said at the meeting, according to WHEC, adding, 'You need to have a mental evaluation. There's no reason that should be in the schools whatsoever at all.'
'You can see the guy's butt is clearly out,' Feathers said, referencing one drawing in the book, 'And then if you go over on this side of the picture, there's two guys standing in bondage right there.'
Potter tried to quell parental outrage by referencing proper procedure for filing objections to school materials — but was quickly and overwhelmingly booed.
'We are here at our board meeting, conducting our business,' Potter patronizingly said to parents — who then booed particularly loudly.
'Its our board meeting,' said one parent who was filming the surreal conclave.
'We pay you!,' another male parent shouted.
As the boos rained down — the school officials called the meeting to a close without officially hearing any public comments.
'They're just leaving?,' the parent filming the event said in disbelief.
Video from the contentious meeting went viral and even Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk has weighed in on the controversy.
The richest man in the world quoted a video posted by Libs of TikTok writing only, 'A kindergartner…'
The Penfield School Board did not respond to The Post's request for comment.
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New York Times
10 hours ago
- New York Times
At the Tesla Diner, the Future Looks Mid
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On my way out, I squeezed into an elevator with my colleagues, some international tourists and a few locals who'd eaten at Tesla Diner three times in one week and were already planning to come back. I couldn't make sense of it. 'We don't order anything except for the burgers now,' one of them told me. 'Everything else is just so bad.' Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.
Engadget
4 days ago
- Engadget
A terrific 2D Ninja Gaiden, housefly bucket lists and other new indie games worth checking out
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You'll find and combine words into phrases that convert into devastating attacks. There are more than 200 words and they have cooldowns, so combining them in smart ways will be a key to success. Using words "with honor" can seemingly help you unlock more useful phrases too. Very curious to see how all of that works in practice. We'll get a better idea next month, when Wander Stars lands on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC. Speaking of games with a killer look, a gameplay trailer for I Hate This Place hooked me in this week. This is an isometric survival horror game that pulls from the visual stylings of its comic book origins. Crafting is vital here, both in terms of your arsenal and strengthening your shelter before nightfall. This stylish title from Rock Square Thunder and publisher Broken Mirror Games is bound for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch later this year. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
New York Post
5 days ago
- New York Post
How much are tickets to see Tom Felton in ‘Harry Potter' on Broadway?
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. Goodbye Hogwarts, hello Broadway. Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in all eight 'Harry Potter' films, will reprise his iconic role in the Tony Award-winning 'Harry Potter and The Cursed Child' at Midtown Manhattan's Lyric Theatre, starting Nov. 11. Due to overwhelming demand, the 37-year-old's Great White Way stint has been extended to 19 weeks; based on our findings, the curtains on his last show go down on May 10, 2026. As of now, tickets are available on Vivid Seats for the first 21 Felton shows from Nov. 11-29. At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one Potter production featuring Felton was $178 including fees on Vivid Seats. Other November shows have tickets starting anywhere from $217 to $452 including fees. This run, which will be the first screen-to-stage jump for any actor from the long-running franchise, is particularly meaningful for Felton. 'Being a part of the 'Harry Potter' films has been one of the greatest honours of my life,' Felton said. 'Joining this production will be a full-circle moment for me, because when I begin performances in 'Cursed Child' this fall, I'll also be the exact age Draco is in the play. It's surreal to be stepping back into his shoes— and of course his iconic platinum blond hair — and I am thrilled to be able to see his story through and to share it with the greatest fan community in the world.' For the uninitiated, 'Harry Potter and The Cursed Child' picks up 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione graduated from Hogwarts. In the 3.5-hour show, the trio team up with the next generation of wizards — including Harry's son Albus and Draco's boy Scorpius, respectively — to battle mysterious forces while the future hangs in the balance. In a rave review of the ambitious production, The Post's Sophie Cannon gushed 'while it's never easy to bring movie magic to a bare-bones Broadway stage, the Lyric Theatre must have had some transfiguration spells in their cloak because this production was more than magical.' Want to be there? We're here to help you get past Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station into the Lyric Theatre. Below, you'll find everything you need to know and more about how to see Tom Felton in 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on Broadway. All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation. 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' Tom Felton ticket prices A complete list of all Tom Felton 'Harry Potter' show dates, start times and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found here: Tom Felton 'Harry Potter' dates Ticket prices start at Tuesday, Nov. 11 7 p.m. $277 (including fees) Wednesday, Nov. 12 7 p.m. $282 (including fees) Thursday, Nov. 13 7 p.m. $256 (including fees) Friday, Nov. 14 7 p.m. $178 (including fees) Saturday, Nov. 15 2 p.m. $288 (including fees) Saturday, Nov. 15 8 p.m. $323 (including fees) Sunday, Nov. 16 3 p.m. $317 (including fees) Tuesday, Nov. 18 7 p.m. $224 (including fees) Wednesday, Nov. 19 7 p.m. $217 (including fees) Thursday, Nov. 20 7 p.m. $224 (including fees) Friday, Nov. 21 7 p.m. $252 (including fees) Saturday, Nov. 22 2 p.m. $323 (including fees) Saturday, Nov. 22 8 p.m. $248 (including fees) Sunday, Nov. 23 1 p.m. $452 (including fees) Sunday, Nov. 23 7 p.m. $296 (including fees) Tuesday, Nov. 25 7 p.m. $255 (including fees) Wednesday, Nov. 26 1 p.m. $251 (including fees) Wednesday, Nov. 26 7 p.m. $231 (including fees) Friday, Nov. 28 2 p.m. $251 (including fees) Friday, Nov. 28 8 p.m. $251 (including fees) Saturday, Nov. 29 2 p.m. $322 (including fees) Want to see 'Potter' before the Felton era begins? If so, you can get tickets for all 'Cursed Child' shows here. (Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn't noted, will include additional fees at checkout.) Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here. 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' cast To match names to faces, here's a bit of background about a few of the current performers in 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.' Matthew James Thomas (Harry Potter) may look familiar to TV fans. He appeared in the first two seasons of FOX's 'Accused,' as well as The BBC's 'The Summer of Rockets' and CBS' 'NCIS: New Orleans.' Notable theatre roles include the Tony-winning revival of 'Pippin' and 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.' Daniel Fredrick (Ron Weasley) previously appeared on Broadway in 'Take Me Out' and 'The Lehman Trilogy.' His most notable film and TV credits include 'Mare of Easttown,' 'Black Butler' and 'Treehouse.' Cara Ricketts (Hermione Granger) is quite active. It's possible you've seen her on Broadway in 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' or 'For Colored Girls.' Film and TV fans might have caught Ricketts in 'Girl on the Train,' 'The Upside' 'Blindspot,' 'Madame Secretary' and/or 'Billions.' Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) makes his Broadway debut with 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,' replacing the long-running Aaron Bartz. Off-stage and outside of the 'Harry Potter' franchise, he's acted in 'Get Him To The Greek,' 'Ophelia,' 'Megan Leavey,' 'The Flash' and 'Origin.' Erik Christopher Peterson (Scorpius Malfoy) also is appearing on Broadway for the first time, just like his pops. Outside of the Lyric Theatre, he gradated with a BFA in Acting from The Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University. Regional Theatre roles include 'Othello,' 'The Importance of Being Earnest' and 'Romeo and Juliet.' About the Lyric Theatre experience When Sophie Cannon saw Potter on Broadway back in June 2024, she wrote about all the added bonuses of seeing the show live. Here's what she had to say: As an added bonus, every audience member's ticket grants access to the rest of the Lyric Theatre. The lobby is full of Harry Potter photo-ops, plus amazing concessions that resemble both the trolly treats aboard the Hogwarts Express as well as the shops in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley — think non-alcoholic Butterbeer and some alcoholic sips for witches and wizards over 21, plus chocolate frogs, gummies and more. Can't miss Broadway productions in 2025 Hoping to see a few more of your favorite movies adapted into stage shows on the Great White Way these next few months? Here are just five of our favorites you won't want to miss live. • 'Death Becomes Her' • 'The Lion King' • 'The Outsiders' • 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' • 'Buena Vista Social Club' What else is on Broadway? Take a look at our list of all 2025 Tony-nominated shows to find the one for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
