Parents at the Humanitas Academy of Art and Technology at Esteban E. Torres High School in Boyle Heights say they were caught off guard by a campus event last week billed as El Festival del Arcoíris, or the Rainbow Festival. Videos and social media posts from the gathering showed student art, poetry, drag performances and a twerking act that several parents say crossed the line for a school setting. Families told local reporters they were not notified in advance and were alarmed that students were reportedly asked to sign a release so they could be filmed.
As reported by FOX 11, the festival featured resource booths, student artwork and poetry, drag performances and what officials described as "interactive student engagement activities." Several parents told FOX 11 they saw video of a twerking dancer onstage and shared a consent form they said allowed students to be filmed for a documentary tied to a group called the "School of Sexuality." In a statement to FOX 11, the district said, "The Humanitas Academy of Art & Technology at Esteban E. Torres High School organized and produced El Festival del Arcoíris to promote belonging, empathy, and social awareness."
Queer Mercado and the Eastside Pop‑Up Scene
The Queer Mercado is a recurring Eastside pop‑up that highlights queer and Latinx vendors and has staged monthly markets at the East L.A. Civic Center, according to the organizers' site. Local reporting by L.A. TACO and the project's own pages says the market was started in part by Diana Díaz, who has worked as a school counselor, a connection parents flagged when they noticed the Mercado listed as the festival sponsor. Organizers say the mercados aim to create inclusive economic and cultural space for queer creators in Eastside neighborhoods.
Consent, Publicity Rules and District Resources
LAUSD's Parent/Student Handbook explains that schools send home a "Publicity Authorization and Release" and that taking a picture of a student on campus requires parental consent. Parents who do not want their child publicized are advised not to sign that release. The district's LGBTQ resources guide also lists programs such as Project 10 and the Office of Student Civil Rights as points of contact for families and for reporting discrimination or harassment. Parents in this episode say the mix of performance content, filming and a staff‑linked sponsor shows that clear communication and stronger vetting are needed before similar events run during school hours.
LAUSD has described the festival as an effort to promote belonging and social awareness, while parents say the episode exposed a gap in communication between schools and families. Families say they plan to press campus and district leaders for clearer notification policies and for transparency about how outside groups are cleared to participate in school events.
