A soloist in the school’s production of “Rent,” Morris organized the counter-demonstration through the social-networking website Facebook, attracting 362 people who said they would attend.
“Rent” opened Thursday to sold-out crowds after sparking national outcry when the school’s drama teacher claimed the principal initially nixed the production over concerns about gay characters in the script.
The school denies that claim, and production moved forward after the incident drew national media attention.
Now the ACLU is suing the Newport-Mesa Unified School district, claiming the school fosters an environment rife with homophobia that is hostile to gay and female students.
Members of the Topeka, Kan.-based church known for picketing the funerals of Iraq war veterans across the country, waved signs with anti-gay slurs and dragged American and Israeli flags on the ground across the street from the school as students left class Friday.
“Go home,” one student shouted from a car to Westboro Baptist Church member Margie Phelps during the protest.
“Get a Bible and obey it, you brute,” she shouted back.
Daughter of Westboro Baptist Church leader, the Rev. Fred Phelps, Margie Phelps waved a sign that read, “The Jews Killed Jesus” and stood atop a soiled Israeli flag Friday.
“The Jews killed Jesus, and now they’re teaching the young people of America to be filthy sinners before God,” Margie Phelps said.
Church members said they had just returned from picketing the Israeli Consulate General in Los Angeles before stopping by the high school, and many of their signs bore anti-Semitic messages.
