Westboro Baptist Church supporters carry signs opposing gay marriage.
By Courtney Gousman
St. Peters, MO (KSDK) - They've been known to protest at the funerals of soldiers to make their point. Now, members of Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-homosexual group, have added a second St. Louis area school to their trip, Monday.
Fort Zumwalt East High School. This will be the first stop of two, early Monday morning for Westboro Baptist Church members. The group will be protesting in front of the school beginning at 6:55 a.m., and members of the church say the school was added to their itinerary because a student here requested their presence.
"It kind of flabbergasted me. I had no idea they would protest Ft. Zumwalt High School," said Dr. Bernard DuBray, Superintendent of the Fort Zumwalt School District.
The Superintendent learned Thursday, members of Westboro Baptist Church will be protesting at Fort Zumwalt East High School Monday morning.
"We don't have an official Gay- Straight Alliance club that's formed here. We have diversity in our school like everyone has," said Dr. DuBray.
Dr. DuBray says students were informed Friday of the group's plan to protest. A call also went out to parents Sunday night.
On Westboro Baptist Church's website, an announcement indicates the visit comes at the request of a Fort Zumwalt East student.
"His email was to the effect of 'We've got proud homosexuals strutting up and down the halls of this school. You've got to come,'" said Margie Phelps, an attorney for Westboro Baptist Church, and daughter to the pastor.
Phelps says 35 members of Westboro protested Sunday at the Super Bowl and are now on their way to the St. Louis area, where they'll visit Fort Zumwalt East, followed by Clayton High School on Monday.
"We're going to stop by two high schools in the area to tell those young people to tell those young people who have been lied by every adult they've encounter, that it's not okay to be gay, never has been, and never will be," said Phelps.
Counter protestors in the Fort Zumwalt District have united on Facebook and say they plan to bring signs with positive messages.
"It's literally in my backyard and I don't like these people, I don't like their message and I'm not going to let them come here in my neighborhood and spread their hate and not be here to counteract it with love," said Jennifer Cruts, a neighborhood parent.
Counter protesters for both schools say they will be raising money for organizations supporting Veterans, and the Gay and Lesbian community.
Westboro will be protesting for 30 minutes in each location. They start in St. Peters at 6:55 a.m. and in Clayton at 7:50 a.m.
KSDK