Grand Blanc students, community protest for and against school board member linked to QAnon
GRAND BLANC, Mich. (WJRT) – Turmoil erupted in Genesee County’s largest school district ahead of Monday’s school board meeting.
Nearly 100 people gathered outside Grand Blanc High School at the corner of Saginaw Street and Holly Road to protest against Amy Facchinello’s election to the school board. People who started the protest believe Facchinello follows the QAnon conspiracy.
QAnon supporters have been accused of spreading baseless conspiracy theories and false information on social media about COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2020 presidential election. Some theories touted by the group are also anti-semitic.
A Grand Blanc High School senior found Facchinello’s Twitter page, which they believe shows support for QAnon and prompted Monday’s protest.
A counter-protest took place simultaneously with several supporters of Facchinello. They say that they’re against what’s been dubbed “cancel culture.”
Both sides made their voices heard throughout the afternoon. The protesters asked Facchinello to resign, but she doesn’t plan to budge.
“If people had known what she really stood for, I do not believe she would’ve been elected at all,” said Lucas Hartwell, a senior at Grand Blanc High School who organized the protest against Facchinello.
Hartwell became concerned while researching her ahead of the November election. He said she has “disturbing beliefs” based on her social media accounts, which he believes show support for QAnon.
“What we have is a situation where someone, who is completely detached from the reality we live in, is making choices related to children’s lives and that’s something that I just cannot go on board with,” Hartwell said. “It’s not something I can stand for.”
Facchinello took office in January and apparently has not caused controversy at any school board meetings. Hartwell said his protest on Monday is a “preemptive strike to make sure people understand what’s going on in their community.”
Facchinello was at the protest surrounded by a group of counter-protesters, who say they’re against what’s been dubbed “cancel culture.” She called the events ‘bizarre” and says retweeting the QAnon hashtag “where we go one, we go all” doesn’t make her a QAnon conspiracy theorist.
”I’m a conservative woman, a Trump supporter. And, you know, Trump supporters want to be more involved with the government and taking part, having a seat at the table. So I decided to run,” Facchinello said.
Her term on the Grand Blanc school board continues through 2026 and she has no plans to resign before then.
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