Protestors and counter-protestors outside Deering High School this afternoon all because drag queens were invited to talk about drag history.The two sides clashed from time to time. Police officers were standing by to keep the peace.The Curbside Queens billed as "Maine's number-one traveling drag show" were invited to speak during an after-school event hosted by Deering's Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a student-initiated and student-led group.Those opposed to the drag queen visit – carried signs that read: "Groom Dogs, Not Kids"…and "We Need God Not Drag Queens.""The message here today is that sexualizing our children is wrong," said Nick Blanchard of Patriots with Attitudes. About fifty supporters lined the other side of the street. They had their own signs."There's so many of us and there was like how many of them? Four," said Ally Hilton, a Deering High School student."We won't put up with hate. Yeah, we won't. We will push them out," said Zelda Bassford, who attends Portland's Casco Bay High School.The interim co-superintendents of Portland Public Schools were on-hand and issued this statement:"It is important and appropriate for students to have opportunities to discuss the realities of their lives and our world. PPS (Portland Public Schools) encourages this type of discourse and supports educators and students having conversations about current events," said Aaron Townsend and Melea Nalli.Rani Mcleod's son is part of the Gender Sexuality Alliance which is the student-initiated, student-led group that invited two drag performers to speak at an after-school event."This is just as much a show and artsy – when they do band and they everything else. Maybe it's a little bit different but we should be teaching our kids that it's okay to be different," McLeod said."They're not trying to groom children. They're just being themselves," said Lauren Dietlin, another parent who turned out to support the event.Those opposed to the drag queen visit, said it was necessary to show up and share their message."I wouldn't care if this drag show was at a club for older people, my problem is when they try to bring it into our schools. Our kids should be learning history, science, English and math that is it. They should not be sexualizing our children in any way," said Blanchard of the Patriots with Attitudes.The actual event was behind closed doors in the gymnasium. The media was not allowed inside. To read the full letter from Portland Public Schools Aaron Townsend and Melea Nalli, click here.