Parents of children at Public School 96 were outraged when the PTA president of the school got up on the stage at a children’s Talent Show. Frankie Quinones was dressed in full drag and put on a performance in a black sequined dress, gyrating in a risqué way and lip-synching to an explicit song. While some of the kids probably loved the performance, parents were completely shocked as he gyrated to a song by Iris Chacón, a Puerto Rican singer. He also spread his legs on stage, revealing his underwear.

Parents and children were enjoying the talent show

Up until that point, around 200 families had enjoyed the talent show, with endearing performances by the children who sang, played the piano and drums. However, it was the last act that got parents upset, when Quinone took to the stage. According to ABC7, the drag show had been billed a “Special Surprise Performance.” The goal of the drag show was reportedly to promote tolerance, but many walked out as it happened.

One parent, Raquel Morales, who took video footage of the drag show, said she didn’t understand how something like this could be displayed in front of children.

She added that the school knew about this performance since December and while they wanted to raise awareness, they should have done so in a proper way, to the right audience.

PTA president popular with parents and students

However, despite the scandal over the drag performance, parents and students told the New York Daily News that they like Frankie personally.

Thalema Wardlow, 45, a parent of a daughter in fourth grade, said Quinones was “cool.” However, she didn’t think he should be allowed to continue to represent the school as PTA president, adding that she doesn’t think children should be seeing that kind of performance.

Sixth grader Breyanna Brooks, 11, told the New York Daily News that she likes Frankie, adding that if something goes wrong you can always go to him.

Drag performance was bad judgment

Despite his popularity as a person, families believe he used very bad judgment when putting on the Drag Act and they want Quinones removed from his post as PTA president. Michael Aciman, a spokesman for the Education Department, said that, unrelated to the current controversy, Quinones was leaving his post at the end of the current school year. According to Aciman, Quinones had already served the maximum number of terms allowed as PTA president and the school is planning to run an election for a new president later this month.

It turns out Quinones himself has two children at the school and performs regularly as a drag queen at clubs in the city.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED