en ar en en en nl en en en en en en id en en en en en en nb en nl nl nb en en en en en en en en en en nb en en en en en fr en en en nb en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en it es en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en ca en en en en en en es en en en en en en en en en en en en en pt sv en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en mr en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en ru en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en fa en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en
Student Protesters Face Hail of Vile Obscenities, Taunts and Threats From Group Claiming to Speak For Children | FlaglerLive
Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges
Flagler Palm Coast High School
Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
Student Protesters Face Hail of Vile Obscenities, Taunts and Threats From Group Claiming to Speak For Children
November 17, 2021 | FlaglerLive | 30 Comments
Students and parents protesting against a potential book ban in school libraries were confronted with a loose band of counter-protesters at the Government Services Building Tuesday evening, some of them in camouflage, taunting the students and parents with obscenities. (© FlaglerLive)
Caution: the following article contains numerous slurs and profanities.
Two weeks ago a prosecutor in a Flagler County courthouse spat a long list of vile obscenities at a jury of 14 in her opening arguments. The prosecutor was only restating the obscenities a man had been seen and heard on video telling his wife two days before he shot her dead. She was doing it for effect, of course, very effectively introducing evidence, not insulting the jury. (The jury convicted the man of murder.)
The same thing happened within sight of that courtroom last night, on the ground in front of the Government Services Building. The slurs, documented in numerous videos and in person, were identical in tone, the language similarly vile. Except that in this case the obscenities were leveled by at students, parents and teachers who’d gathered to protest the potential ban of four books for teens from school libraries, including a book written by a gay Black man who describes a traumatic incident of being molested by his cousin, and his first experience of gay sex as an adult.
“You’re disgusting. You’re a piece of shit for liking it.”
“Hey, do you support pedophilia too? Do you support that?”
“Hey gay boy you want to follow to my car and suck my dick after this?”
“You guys are pieces of shit.”
“Bye, get the fuck out of here.”
The protests took place before and during a school board meeting at the GSB, scene of differently-staged theater in the latest fallout from Board members Jill Woolbright’s and Janet McDonald’s efforts to police library materials. (See: “Potential Book Ban in Schools Galvanizes 2 Sides in Day of Highs and Lows as Sheriff Recoils at Criminal Complaint” and “Jill Woolbright Wants 4 Books Banned Over Anti-Racism, LGBTQ, Police Violence and Rape Themes; District Removes Them Pending Review.”)
“Sex education does not belong in fucking elementary school.”
“You are just as much a child abuser as the person who wants to commit sodomy against a child.”
“Their side is is pure evil. They support pedophilia. They support racism with CRT. They want to steal our money through taxes unlimited. They want to shut down American jobs.” The same man goes on, pointing to one of the adult protesters: “This is the evil cat lady with babies buried in her yard.” Laughter from his audience of two. “They’re supporting sodomizing little kids and they think it’s funny.”
They claimed, between slurs, that they were there to protect innocent children.
The counter-protesters–a loose description of a loose group of people whose aim seemed to be little more than disruption, intimidation and offense–numbered at most a couple of dozens, some in approximation of camouflage, several of them masked, some apparently vacationing locally, or speaking of being happily on vacation.
“Students on the one side…our FUTURE,” Artie Gardella, who was at the protest in the afternoon and through the evening, said, “full of passion and conviction, well organized and unified, peacefully protesting the banning of books that speak to their generation! The older generation on the other side dressed in tactical gear, full of FEAR, most with their faces covered and I do not think because of covid, waving Christian flags and anti-LGBTQ banners and a preacher literally trying to drown out the young voices with a blaring megaphone as the youth shared their heart.”
The protest outside was in two segments: there was the five o’clock demonstration organized by Jack Petocz, a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School, who also stacked a table full of donated books–the four books that School Board member Jill Woolbright flagged to the superintendent, calling one of them a “crime” to disseminate in schools. That part of the demonstration, from 5 to 6 p.m., was loud as the counter-demonstrators, including a preacher with a megaphone, tried to drown out the students’ speeches with sheer noise, taunts or insults and cries of “shame” and that recent favorite of the right-wing, “let’s go brandon,” the euphemism for “fuck Joe Biden.”
The evening segment, after the school board meeting began. The chamber was at full capacity, leaving over 100 people to contend with the overflow corridor, or to stay outside. The confrontations took a more sinister character, including threats (one man was heard threatening a woman with something “right between your eyes”). While the 5 p.m. protest witnessed its share of homophobic slurs and taunts, the night version was mostly that, with fewer people on either side but also more frequent and closer interactions between the two, each side brandishing its phones and taking video.
“I’m looking at a bunch of fucking donkeys right now. Fucking jackasses.”
“Oh, I cherry-pick? I cherry-pick now? You motherfuckers!”
An exchange between two women: “Is that that book?” “Yeah, it’s the book.” “Can we burn it?”
“Fat and stupid. Thank god for breaking the stereotype that women are dumb. You did it sweetheart.”
“Hey, tell me about that story in the Bible about gluttony, you fat piece of shit.”
“Let’s see, you got your fat husband at home sweetheart?”
“Y’all are retarded and fucking leave.”
“Initially, the counter-protest, while ugly and rife with homophobic slurs, it was still just a counter protest. As the night wore on, however, the counter-protestors were replaced by men and women dressed in flak jackets, walkie-talkies, and full face and head masks or helmets. The language was uglier, more intimidating, and they one man kept shouting violently sexual threats towards a young man with a pride flag. As a result,
“It seemed less about a message against a book and more about intimidating those with whom they disagree,” a Flagler Palm Coast High School teacher who was at the protest throughout described the night portion. “In the midst of calling our small group of 5 (everyone else was inside) pedophiles and lovers of pornography, a few of their number actually stated their case: they didn’t want the All Boys Aren’t Blue book in elementary schools. I responded, ‘they aren’t.’ They said the books were in elementary school, and I asked where. They responded ‘Oak Hill.’ This was the moment I knew they weren’t from Flagler County and were only here to fan the flames. One of their member turned to a police officer and told him that soon, he’d have to pick a side between ‘us and them,’ implying a civil war to come. I escorted students to their cars all night, harassed each time. Once or twice I was followed, but the police were aware and also stayed close. We were protected.”
A video shows an individual garbed in what, in another context, might look like a Halloween costume–a whole-skull-covering black avenger or Darth Vederish sort of mask, black plastic armor up to the elbow, all sorts of black padding, black boots, pants and the rest of it. The individual at one point calls a person taking the video a “coward.”
“You’re in body armor, sir, I’m standing here without any armor,” the person replies. (The body armored one in a different video is heard explaining that he’s wearing the gear not to attack, but to protect himself. He did not say from whom. It was neither a hot nor cold night, the protesters were unarmed and had been mostly students, and there were still about half a dozen or more cops outside.)
Another video shows several of the armored–and not armored–surrounding a local teacher who is attempting to reason with them, correct them that the book is not in elementary schools (“elementary school, middle school, it doesn’t matter,” a woman shouts.
None of it got out of hand beyond verbal taunts. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly on Monday said he was setting up an incident command at the GSB for the evening, assigning several deputies to the school board’s workshop and meeting and the protest, which were all expected to draw a crowd (the evening meeting and protest did, the workshop drew a much smaller crowd). The first unit showed up a little after noon. It grew from there. “We are going to ensure everybody has their First Amendment right,” the sheriff said. That’s what the deputies did, interfering not at all in the messages from one side or the other, or the loudness, intervening only when the roadway had to be cleared for traffic or the taunts got too close. Even then, the deputies intervened with a light touch more comparable to ushers than to any imposition of force, and both sides appeared grateful.
There were a few retorts from the original demonstrators, not all of them polite, though mostly the response was silent, or innocuous yells like “you’re a fraud,” and “do you speak like that to your children?” Or: “I’m scared? One woman standing here in front of all of you? Do I look scared?”
“One day you will be scared,” someone tells her.
Some of the exchanges were standard debating interaction: if you want the book, buy it on Amazon, read it at a library, just don’t put it in the schools, the counter-protesters would say. There were comparisons to Black Lives Matter marches–derisive ones, when spoke by the counter-protesters, one of whom claimed that if this was a BLM march the marchers would have become violent toward counter-protesters–a documented falsehood, though being factual wasn’t the objective of the counter-protesters. What reasoning arguments did take place from time to time only skimmed on the surface of the bile, with the record usually spinning back to “you support pedophilia” or “you’re a piece of shit” or “answer–do you support pedophilia?” and the renewed threat by a man masked in a stars and stripes: “You’re still sucking my dick later, boy. I’m finding you,” he says, pointing.
“My whole life has been spent working with young people, from setting up inner-city camps in New York and here in Florida to most recently working with the young music and art community of our county,” Gardella said. “What the young people need most is their voice to be heard. They have a vision for the world that they want, and the older people were just not listening. It’s time for us to pass the Baton over to them and support their vision for a Kinder more inclusive world! I witnessed one of the military clad counter-protesters stand in front of one of the young leaders and call him a faggot to his face. My heart broke but I was so encouraged to see this young man let it roll off and continue with his mission. Bravo to the young people of our community!”
Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley, remarking on his Facebook page about some of the viler language, said “no normal thinking individual” could miss why the counter-protesters want the books banned: “a good portion of the subject material covered in the books in question is about dealing with people just like…..them.”
Inside the building, the board meeting stretched past the five-hour mark, three of those hours taken up by more civil, often eloquent statements from one side or the other. Though every board member spoke at the end of the meeting, only one, Colleen Conklin, spoke against the noxious atmosphere that had developed outside, and that had been apparent even during the 5 o’clock hour, before the meeting.
“I would like to call for cooler heads on both sides to come together and realize and recognize that the only way we’re going to move the dial on student achievement is if this stops,” Conklin said. “There is a way to communicate differences of opinion. But what has been happening? It is not civil discourse. It’s not. We had people that were invited here, the three percenters that were invited here, invited here by certain groups and certain people who literally harassed our children outside, calling them slurs cursing at them getting in the face of educators and staff members and other parents. Yes, that occurred.” The Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes the three percenters as an extremist “sub-ideology,” not a group, with “common belief that falls within the larger antigovernment militia movement.”
When Conklin referred to the slurs, people in the audience interrupted her with jeers. “What’s ridiculous is that we continue to have community members that will defend those actions,” Conklin continued. “We had a hate group that was invited to this meeting. by certain individuals.” She was again interrupted, and again Trevor Tucker, the chairman of the board, asked for decorum from the crowd.
“What I will say is shame on anyone who invited those individuals,” Conklin tried again. “Now whether you’re sitting in this chamber or not I have no idea. If you feel very defensive, I would ask you to ask yourself why. But what I will say is we will not tolerate the attacks on our students. We’re not going to tolerate that kind of behavior. You don’t have to agree with each other. But you certainly do not have the right to treat children that way. Period.” After more noise from the audience, she added: “What I will say is that the real superstars of the evening or our students tonight, the real superstars of the evening were our students. They came and they share their thoughts and their views in a very articulated way. They didn’t allow themselves to be intimidated, and I appreciate the fact that they were brave enough to come forward and take a stand and to speak up for not just themselves but their fellow students.”
American Library Association Condemns Broad Censorship of Books on Race and LGBTQ in Schools and Libraries
Flagler School Libraries Face Chilling Dangers Beyond Book Bans
On Book Bans, ‘Equity’ and the School District’s Duty to Honor Student Diversity: The Students’ Perspective
Closing Inquiry, Sheriff Rebuffs Charge of ‘Crime’ in Book Controversy; Woolbright Wants ‘All Young Adult Books Checked’
Why All Boys Aren’t Blue Belongs in High School Libraries: A Response to Brian McMillan
Student Protesters Face Hail of Vile Obscenities, Taunts and Threats From Group Claiming to Speak For Children
Potential Book Ban in Schools Galvanizes 2 Sides in Day of Highs and Lows as Sheriff Recoils at Criminal Complaint
Cheryl Massaro Rebukes Fellow School Board Member Woolbright Over ‘Rogue’ Attacks on Books and Superintendent
The Live Interview: Author George M. Johnson Speaks to Those Who Want Book Banned From Flagler Schools
2 Flagler School Board Members Object to Black Lives Matter Language and a ‘Hate Group’ Trolls District’s Library Books
Help Make Flagler County Known for Progress, Tolerance and Growth Instead of Ignorance and Hate
Jill Woolbright Wants 4 Books Banned Over Anti-Racism, LGBTQ, Police Violence and Rape Themes; District Removes Them Pending Review
Shapiro: In the End, It’s the Profanity of Censorship Against the Sacredness of Learning
Why To Kill a Mockingbird Is a Triumph for Flagler, And Especially for FPC’s Drama Club
Citing Vague Fears, School District Suppresses Stage Production of To Kill a Mockingbird
If you’ve made it this far down our notoriously long articles, you’re probably among our more committed and regular readers. You value serious, quality local reporting, produced locally. As a non-profit, FlaglerLive depends in large part on you, the reader, for support. Much as advertising helps, you are the buffer that enables our independence from market vagaries and the occasional threat, common against independent journalism these days. FlaglerLive will always be available to you free of charge. Your support is essential. Become a Friend of FlaglerLive today. FlaglerLive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization: your contribution is tax-deductible. Click now, anywhere in this box, and contribute.
All donors' identities are kept confidential and anonymous.
Merrill S Shapiro says
November 17, 2021 at 2:22 pm
We can all help increase the level of vulgarity and obscenity in our community by voting for right-wing candidates!
November 17, 2021 at 3:01 pm
Colleen Conklin is a true “superstar” being the voice of reason and intelligence! Parents that used derogatory slurs just show kids what bullying looks like and is! Remember you are the one’s teaching them this behavior!!
November 17, 2021 at 3:09 pm
I have noticed recently that there has become an element of society that when challenged and can’t respond appropriately, resorts to name calling and insults. They think that by being aggressive and using derogatory language it makes them the better person. They don’t realize they are losing ground in their argument. When you come at me disrespectful and swearing it indicates a lack of intelligence.
And I hope all involved are proud of yourselves. (Sarcasm) You set a fine example for any young people out there last night.
For the person dressed in wannabe tactical gear. Who were you trying to intimidate?
Katrina Elizabeth Friel says
November 17, 2021 at 3:46 pm
That’s because they lack the intelligence to do so. We keep electing leaders who behave like this and that has normalized this behavior. This is who these people emulate. Let’s make America sensible, reasonable, kind and polite again.
November 17, 2021 at 4:13 pm
You know, nobody wants that living next to them . Sometimes being nice or that tolerant and the wrong message is sent. The book documented an encounter of child molestation perhaps in more “award winning” literary graphic details if that’s even possible ? At what point would the book be updated with illustrations ? Sexual predators & offenders aren’t tolerated for very long, FCSO puts signage out for Halloween that a dwelling is occupied by that level of criminal. I understand LGBTQ denounces NAMBLA. But let’s keep it real, LGBTQ is the middle of the NAMBLA male & female extremes. If children are to be used as human shields to be protected, does it make sense to allow a book that describes the criminal act in detail ? Certainly the book if documenting the encounter, simply could be less graphic, perhaps limited to a sentence in a paragraph. NAMBLA will never be legal in the USA or perhaps anywhere else ? As for LGBTQ & adopting children, sometimes that couple is more fit to raise children than the hetero breeders that hooked up after an alcohol/opium binge ? And I’m not saying everyone is like that. But we shouldn’t be shocked when it happens ? Because somehow the concept was laid out in graphic language. If the book is not banned, it should be behind the counter, any minor seeking access to it should have their legal guardian with them to check the book out. The days of acting surprised that minors bully at schools, buy & sell illegal drugs, threaten with violence, sexually harass is becoming even more common. Control the book as one would any pornographic media. If the parent chooses to use the book as an educational tool, fine, but to leave it there for any child of any age is irresponsible. Would it open the school to a lawsuit if another were to act on the reading. Prepare fora worst case scenario instead of hoping that the worst case scenario doesn’t happen.
November 17, 2021 at 8:04 pm
The book isn’t there for any child of any age! Get FACTS and TRUTH!
November 24, 2021 at 1:19 pm
It is in High Schools. Any minor with a library card can go in and sit for hours and read whatever they want, there is no one monitoring what they read. Are we going to get rid of libraries too? If the protest is held by faculty and students, then there should not be pedophiles wanting to have their organs sucked by a minor allowed to attend. Tell me what is more vile and dangerous than the behavior of these people who are supposedly there to protect minors?
November 17, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Haha. The militia LARPers showed up. Damn it, I should have been there.
November 17, 2021 at 4:49 pm
These foul-mouth rabid right-wingers care for nothing except disruption and intimidation. I had a few behind me at the evening meeting who simply would not shut up or control their expletives. They complained about exposing students to “pornography” but apparently found nothing wrong with disrupting speakers with loud expletives.
Then there was the “man in black”. This clown, with a weird mohawk, got up and forcefully demanded that the school system ban all books that he finds objectionable and then threatened the school board with “if you don’t fix this we will… by any means”. Now, mohawk-man was clearly not from Flagler nor were the military gear-emblazoned young men grouped with him outside.
All good, intelligent men, women and students in Flagler must band together and oppose these demented right-wingnuts.
November 17, 2021 at 7:12 pm
How dare them exercise their First Amendment rights, using the same language of the books in question. Maybe you could threaten to have the FBI “threat tag” these right wing activists.
The left never stops trying to impose their insane beliefs on normal people. This is not California, it is Flagler County.
November 18, 2021 at 8:01 am
I don’t know about you but most people don’t care to be told to go suck a body part. The problem is we don’t allow legal ass whooping’s. So there’s an entitled bunch of disrespectful folks who go around talking to people any old way. And don’t care about kids being present.
Really when you talk like that you just show how ignorant you are.
November 18, 2021 at 8:44 pm
Hypocrite…a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
November 19, 2021 at 8:55 am
So what is the difference between these jack offs exercising their first amendment rights and the author of the books in question exercising theirs?
Oh – that’s right…only racist, homophobic, white folks are allowed to do so.
Don’t look now – but YOUR hypocrisy is showing.
November 19, 2021 at 3:56 pm
What you mean white folks don’t speak for me I am white and maybe look in the mirror
Joy A Mullins says
November 17, 2021 at 5:23 pm
First of all, Way to go Woolbright!!!! You are supposed to be a christian and what you have started is not very christian like. Let God be the judge. It is not our place to judge how one lives their lives unless maybe it is hurting another individual intentionally.
As far as these counter protestors, YOU are what is wrong with this world. Sit down, shut up and do not throw rocks(or insults and derogotary remarks) while you live in a glass house. Counter protestors step up and show your face, I bet you don’t have a spic and span clean closet.
I believe that these books should remain in the libraries. No one is forcing a student to check these books out, they are there to educate outside of the small mindness of others. I really hope God forgives all of you for being so nasty.
November 17, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Those kids are victims from a decade of liberal grooming. They were told when they were young to wear rainbows, religion is bad , family values don’t matter, be different. And now they are protesting to groom the next group, it’s not their fault.
November 18, 2021 at 10:54 am
And conservative parents teach their kids to hate non-white, non-Christian, LGBQT and anyone else who doesn’t conform. Your post says it all.
November 19, 2021 at 4:03 pm
Agreed but they only see there Views or else no talking to them my one friend is brainwashed by bs that he didn’t even care about in til he was told to but before they didn’t care propaganda they use now sounds like nazis 1930
November 19, 2021 at 9:14 am
Family values? I guess those only count when it’s your family.
How would you react if a grown man told your son to meet him in the car for oral sex? Would you think the person who said it was raised with strong family values? If you’re okay with it I think your MAGA hat is too tight.
If one group is protesting inequity, injustice and unfairness and the other group is complaining about the protest, I know which group I’d rather stand with.
August 18, 2022 at 10:35 am
You people love throwing around the word “grooming” lately, huh?
November 17, 2021 at 6:39 pm
They are really all just cowards who would turn and run, bark no bite. No couth and ignorant
November 18, 2021 at 8:11 am
Apparently our elected officials are only allowed to make blanket decisions “for the good of all” when those decisions are popular with the “right” crowd. God forbid a member of the school board propose a mask mandate – forcing all students to adhere to the beliefs of others – that would be communism.
November 18, 2021 at 8:57 am
The Anti Defamation League doesn’t just refer to the III percenters as a hate group, they refer to them as a violent militia. And it was evident by the 3% uniform, that they are in Flagler County spreading their message of white supremacy.
If anyone has video of the fine chap offering to accompany a student to his car for a sexual encounter, please turn it over to the Sheriff. Solicitation of a minor is a felony.
November 18, 2021 at 12:40 pm
“a man masked in a stars and stripes: “You’re still sucking my dick later, boy. I’m finding you,” he says, pointing.” Mr. Stars and Stripes didn’t realize that HE was the one soliciting sex with another young man. He just outed himself.
November 18, 2021 at 2:37 pm
They are using badlanguage against the books you don’t like. Cursing, anger, at children. You don’t want the book in the public, but you speak foul language in the public. White people.
November 19, 2021 at 10:17 am
only a pear-shaped loser would show up to a HIGH SCHOOL protest wearing body armor and camo. The only thing missing was his coonskin hat.
November 19, 2021 at 10:27 am
Those shouting vile obscenities. . . just guess who the majority of them supported for President and Governor.
December 5, 2021 at 10:03 am
Yeah. I doubt this would be a group of Republicans. Republicans aren’t the ones supporting the ban of books or oppressing the freedom of speech.
January 5, 2022 at 7:56 pm
Yes they are, full stop.
August 18, 2022 at 10:36 am
How on planet earth did you type this and genuinely believe it?
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
Mia on Palm Coast Seeks to Permanently Protect Canopy Along Parkway and Buy Old Indian Mound Among Huge Asks
non good ole boy on Palm Coast Seeks to Permanently Protect Canopy Along Parkway and Buy Old Indian Mound Among Huge Asks
blerbfamilyfive on Three Flagler Commissioners Largely Indifferent to Consequences Of Budget ‘Blown Up at the Last Minute’
Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky on Palm Coast Seeks to Permanently Protect Canopy Along Parkway and Buy Old Indian Mound Among Huge Asks
Concerned Citizen on County Scrambles to Make Budget Cuts of $1.9 to $2.4 Million, and Gets Unexpected $600,000 Revenue
Concerned Citizen on Bunnell Commission Votes 3-1 to Leave Seat Vacant Despite Charter’s Command to Fill It
Dave on County Scrambles to Make Budget Cuts of $1.9 to $2.4 Million, and Gets Unexpected $600,000 Revenue
Robert fortier on Bunnell Commission Votes 3-1 to Leave Seat Vacant Despite Charter’s Command to Fill It
charley on Burning Man’s Hold on Our Primordial Need for Ritual
Pierre Tristam on Can A ‘Christian’ Wedding Website Designer Deny Service to Same-Sex Couples?
NAM on Can A ‘Christian’ Wedding Website Designer Deny Service to Same-Sex Couples?
Michael Cocchiola on 1st a Law Gagging Talk of Gender. Now a Gag Order on Lawsuit Information. Plaintiffs Complain.
TheMick on Ed Danko Swipes Alan Lowe Into City Hall Over Weekend to Film Campaign Video, Skirting Policy
Florida Voter on 1st a Law Gagging Talk of Gender. Now a Gag Order on Lawsuit Information. Plaintiffs Complain.
Dave on County Scrambles to Make Budget Cuts of $1.9 to $2.4 Million, and Gets Unexpected $600,000 Revenue
Been There on County Scrambles to Make Budget Cuts of $1.9 to $2.4 Million, and Gets Unexpected $600,000 Revenue