PENFIELD, N.Y. — There was a heated debate at the Penfield School Board meeting over a controversial book on Tuesday.

The meeting drew a large crowd as parents voiced their opinions on a controversial book, “The Rainbow Parade.”

The book, which tells the story of a young girl and her two moms attending an LGBT pride parade, has sparked debate among parents.

John Feathers, a parent voicing his concerns against the book, stated, “If you think that that’s appropriate for children to see, then there’s something wrong with you. You need to have a mental evaluation. There’s no reason that should be in the schools whatsoever at all.”

The book features illustrations that some parents, like Feathers, find inappropriate for elementary school students.

“You can see the guy’s butt is clearly out,” he said, pointing at a picture of the book. “And then if you go over on this side of the picture, there’s two guys standing in bondage right there,” Feathers explained.

School Board President Dr. Emily Roberts emphasized the board’s policy for addressing concerns.

“We have the policy in place. The procedures in place to object [to learning materials],” she said, before the meeting was interrupted by parents’ outbursts.

While some parents oppose the book, others, like Maggie Rex, support its inclusion.

“I found it to be completely inoffensive,” Rex said, a parent of three children at Indian Landing Elementary.

“There are many, many parents in this district who really believe that a safe and welcoming environment for our kids is an incredibly important aspect of their educational freedom.”

The board recessed early due to disruptions, leaving without hearing public comments. However, parents continued to express their views on social media.

News10NBC reached out to board members for a statement. We will update this story when we get a response.

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