LOS ANGELES : Some Pupils Kept at Home to Protest Gay Pride Events

Student absenteeism was higher than normal at several schools in the east San Fernando Valley and the Harbor area, where some parents kept their children out of class to protest Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The Board of Education approved a 1992 resolution encouraging schools to recognize the contributions of gays and lesbians in society. Parents and Students United in the Valley circulated letters urging parents to participate in “Opt Out Day” by keeping their children out of school June 1.

School district officials said Brainard Avenue and Herrick Avenue elementary schools in the northeast Valley and four elementary schools in the Harbor area--Halldale Avenue, Gulf Avenue, 7th Street and Leland Street--reported a high number of student absences.

Gay Pride Month is mostly recognized in high schools and typically involves gay and lesbian guest speakers who meet with social studies classes or groups of interested students, school officials said.