Clayton (KSDK)-- In about a week, members of Westboro Baptist Church will be protesting outside Clayton High School.
The group is known for its strong stance against homosexuality, even protesting outside military funerals to make its point.
In a news release posted to its website, members of Westboro Baptist Church, announced plans to visit Clayton High School Monday, February 6th. The group plans to spend about 30 minutes protesting in front of the school, and Clayton High School officials are already taking a proactive approach to the visit.
Their message is clear. Members of Westboro Baptist Church carry signs that say it all, in language that we can't even show you.
"All we do is hold signs that have good bible messages about homosexuality," says Westboro Member and son of the pastor Fred Phelps, Sr.
Fred Phelps, Jr. says this Topeka, Kansas church strongly condemns homosexuality, and they're bringing their message to Clayton High School next week.
"Some high schools are a little more outspoken, a little more notorious for supporting this filthy lifestyle of homosexuals, and those are the ones we try to include on our activities," says Phelps, Jr.
Leaders within the Clayton School District learned about Westboro's scheduled visit after Clayton's Police Department received a letter from attorneys for the group asking for protection.
District officials suspect recent publicity given to the school's 'Gay-Straight Alliance' may have prompted the visit.
Chris Tennill, Chief Communications Officer for the Clayton School District says, "We're just doing everything we can to work with our students and work this our community and proactively plan to hopefully have Monday February 6th just be another school day."
Emails addressing the issue have already been sent home to parents, and Clayton's Chief of Police tells NewsChannel5, they're working on a plan to protect both students and protestors. District officials suspect recent publicity given to the school's Gay-Straight Alliance may have prompted the visit.
Westboro leaders say they plan to be in place at 7:50 a.m. next Monday, as students start showing up for school.
"That high school has certainly been on our radar, because people have written us and asked us to do this," says Phelps, Jr.
Tennill says, "We've got some standup kids. We've got some really smart kids who really see this as an opportunity to respond to the message that W.B.C. puts out."
Westboro Baptist Church will also be protesting at the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, the day before arriving at Clayton High School.
KSDK