High school students in Canada stage a walkout to protest gender ideology curriculum

High school students from Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School in Ottawa, Canada, staged a walkout to protest gender ideology curriculum they say their school is pushing on them. 

“There are Muslim, white, and Asian students in the crowd. There are students from every ethnicity," an anonymous organizer said, according to the Epoch Times. "This is not an ethnic or a religious protest, this is a protest for the students who just … want to not be indoctrinated. We just want to have our beliefs that differ from other people."

One of the Muslim students involved in the protest that took place Thursday told the outlet that they were not protesting students that identified as LGBTQ, but the curriculum that they say is being forced on them. 

“There have been a few incidents in which biological males have walked in on [Muslim girls] adjusting their hijabs," the student said. "So our problem is that they have now pushed it against religious circles and religious minorities. We’re here not because we’re against them existing. We’re here because we’re against them forcing their beliefs against us.”

There were counterprotests to the walkout, including some parents who participated. 

“I just wanted to come down because it’s heartbreaking that there are so many people standing against this, and the hatred is tough,” Tim Dunn, a parent said, according to the Epoch Times. 

“[I see this as] hatred towards the kids that are part of this community," Dunn continued. "Kids have enough to deal with nowadays. They don’t need to come to school and feel unsafe, and I think there are many kids that do feel unsafe, unfortunately.”

The principal of the school sent out an email the day of the protests, saying that they must be done off school property.

“Student walkouts are one way to share a message, but there are many other ways to respectfully show support for issues that are important for students,” Principal Jennifer Borrel-Benoit said in the email.