GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Westboro Baptist Church, identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, announced plans to demonstrate outside Grand Rapids' Union High School and Grand Valley State University on Tuesday, April 24.

The Kansas-based church is known for protesting at the funerals of fallen soldiers, claiming the country's acceptance of homosexuality has drawn God's condemnation. Signs such as "God Hates F---'' and "God Hates You'' have been waved.

The group will also be at Central Michigan University on Tuesday, where members have been invited to speak to the media law class of journalism professor Timothy Boudreau. Westboro and the founder of Satanic Temple of Detroit will participate in a class discussion on the First Amendment.

"I bring these folks in because they really bring to life the cases and the concepts that we discuss in class,'' said Boudreau, who also has group spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper visit in 2012 and 2010.

"It forces students to think carefully and critically about the First Amendment and how far it does go, should go and its purpose and function in society.''

The group is expected to be at Union High, located at 1800 Tremont Blvd. NW, from 7:05 to 7:35 a.m.

In an open letter to the nearly 1,000 Union High School students, the group wrote that "from the cradle, your parents, preachers and teachers have fed you a steady diet of perversions, half-truths and outright lies about the Lord God Almighty.''

"It is NOT OK to be gay, gender fluidity is a great confusion and wickedness, and divorce and remarriage are both sinful and violent.''

John Helmholdt, communications director for Grand Rapids Public Schools, said protestors will not be on campus, rather on the sidewalk outside the school.

He said the district's public safety officers and Grand Rapids Police Department will be monitoring the situation for the safety of its students and staff.

Students and parents have been alerted and told that the beliefs of the group are contrary to the school board's anti-discrimination policy and philosophy. They were encouraged not to respond to the expected negativity.

Westboro is slated to be at Grand Valley from 8:10 to 8:40 a.m. In its news release, the groups says schools have stopped teaching basic information that is helpful to students but have curriculums with the "inclusion of all filthy things'' and denial of righteous things.

Grand Valley Police Chief Brandon DeHaan said the Westboro Baptist Church member are expected to be off campus on a sidewalk in the public right-away at Lake Michigan Drive and North Campus Drive. He said GVPD and the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office will monitor the event.

Westboro Baptist Church did not respond to requests for comment prior to publication. On its website, the group describes its sidewalk demonstrations as peaceful and say that it preaches hate because the Bible preaches hate.