The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has sued the Lake County School Board because of its refusal to allow middle school student Bayli Silberstein to form a gay-straight alliance. [Click here for a May 4th update; the update includes information on how to help out in Lake County.] From an ACLU press release: “I’m really frustrated that we’ve reached this point, but we can’t wait any longer,” stated Silberstein, an 8th-grader at Carver Middle School. “The bullying at my … [Read more...]
Lake County School Board Member Questions 14-Year-Old Student’s Sexual Orientation
Posted on April 29, 2013
A member of Florida's Lake County School Board questioned the sexual orientation of a fourteen-year-old student in his district in an email sent last Friday. A 2012 message from federal Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The Lake County School Board should listen. The Board member's disturbing comment came in a written exchange with musician, blogger and LGBT-youth advocate Katy Bourne, who had sent an open letter to two members of the Lake County School Board criticizing their … [Read more...]
Can and Should Middle Schools Allow Gay-Straight Alliances?
Posted on April 25, 2013
Under the federal Equal Access Act, public high schools must allow students to form gay-straight alliances (GSAs) if the schools receive federal funds and allow any other extracurricular clubs on campus. The First Amendment provides similar protections. But as students in younger grades increasingly speak out for LGBT equality, a new issue arises: Do public middle school students have a legal right to form GSAs too? Courts haven't directly addressed the issue, making it difficult to give … [Read more...]
Updated: The Boy Scouts’ Proposed Policy on Gays: Questions and Answers
Posted on April 23, 2013
[Additional update (5/24/2013): The Scouts have approved the proposal!] This post, published on April 23rd and updated on May 22nd, tackles some basic issues concerning the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA's) current policy on sexual orientation and a proposed policy change. Click here to read the new questions added on May 22nd (you can then click on any question to read the answer). Under the proposed policy change, which members of the National Council will vote on tomorrow (May 23rd), the … [Read more...]
In Their Own Words: Students Who Fought for the Right to Support LGBT Youth
Posted on April 19, 2013
Best wishes to students across the country and world as they observe the Day of Silence today. Among those participating is Lambda Legal client Maverick Couch. Last year, after Maverick's Ohio school prohibited him from wearing a t-shirt that said "Jesus Is Not a Homophobe,” Lambda Legal brought a free-speech suit on Maverick's behalf. Lambda Legal won the case when the school district and principal agreed to a court judgment affirming Maverick's right to wear the shirt on any day he … [Read more...]
Did Firing of U.K. Teacher for his Anti-Gay Comments Violate his Rights?
Posted on April 12, 2013
A court in London has upheld a decision banning school teacher Robert Haye from teaching for at least two years. The case arose after Mr. Haye told a class of 15- to 16-year-old students that gay people live "disgusting" lives. He told an even younger class that "anyone who worships on Sunday is basically worshiping the devil." Mr. Haye belongs to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which observes Saturday as the Sabbath. Mr. Haye said in response to the court decision that "Christians are … [Read more...]
Five Terrible Ways to Respond to Threats of a Day of Silence Walkout
Posted on April 11, 2013
The American Family Association (AFA) has urged parents to take action against the Day of Silence, including by keeping their children home from school on the day of the event (April 19) if the school doesn't meet certain demands. Click to learn more about the Day of Silence. Let's look at the demands, and how schools might respond. … [Read more...]
An Email Trail of Constitutional Violations in the Day of Silence Lawsuit
Posted on April 10, 2013
Earlier today, I reported on a partial court victory for Lambda Legal's client Amber Hatcher, an openly lesbian teenager whose school punished her last year for participating in the Day of Silence. As I explained, DeSoto County school officials had asked a court to dismiss Amber's claim that officials violated her First Amendment rights. The court refused. The First Amendment protects both the right to speak and the right not to speak, and it encompasses students' right to engage in … [Read more...]
Partial Victory for Student in Lambda Legal’s Day of Silence Lawsuit
Posted on April 10, 2013
Lambda Legal has won an important, partial victory for sixteen-year-old Amber Hatcher in a federal case involving the Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is an annual day-of-action when students across the country take a vow of silence for all or part of the school day to bring attention to the silencing effects of bullying faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Related Link: The Day of Silence is Almost Here As her legal complaint explains, Amber, an openly lesbian … [Read more...]
LGBT Youth News Roundup: April 4, 2013
Posted on April 4, 2013
Recent stories about and affecting LGBT youth and their allies: • Magic Johnson's son E.J. has come out and received the support of his family. “Cookie [Johnson's wife] and I love E.J. and support him in every way," Johnson said in a statement. "We’re very proud of him.” • In less inspiring father-son news, Politico reports that Congressman Matt Salmon’s gay son "has defended his father’s opposition to gay marriage, saying that it has nothing to do with his dad’s … [Read more...]
The Day of Silence is this April 19th!
Posted on April 3, 2013
The national Day of Silence is this month! On Friday, April 19, students across the country and world will take a vow of silence for all or part of the school day to recognize and bring attention to the silencing effects of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in school. Since its founding in 1996, the annual day of action has grown to be one of the largest and most successful student-led events to support safe schools for all youth, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender … [Read more...]
Anti-Gay Education Bills Struggling in Tennessee
Posted on March 28, 2013
Two education-related bills championed by opponents of LGBT rights have died in the Tennessee legislature—for now anyway—and the consideration of a third bill has been deferred. One of the measures, often called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, would have prohibited "classroom instruction, course materials or other informational resources that are inconsistent with natural human reproduction" in K-8 schools. Though this language is vague (perhaps intentionally so), it has been widely understood … [Read more...]
School Board Narrowly Reverses Course, Approves Gay-Straight Alliance
Posted on March 28, 2013
The school board in Pennsylvania's Chambersburg Area School District voted 5-4 late yesterday to approve the formation of a student gay-straight alliance. The board had voted 5-4 to reject the club last month. … [Read more...]
Does Your State Have a “No Promo Homo” Law?
Posted on March 22, 2013
Eight states have "no promo homo" laws, and Tennessee might soon join them as the ninth. What does this mean? While "no promo homo" laws and policies take many forms, they all generally restrict gay-inclusive instruction at school or require anti-gay instruction. … [Read more...]
Chambersburg Allows Gay-Straight Alliance–For Now
Posted on March 20, 2013
According to this article in Public Opinion, the Chambersburg Area School District has decided to allow a gay-straight alliance—at least for the next week. Next Wednesday, the school board will vote again on whether to allow the club. [3/28/13 UPDATE: The school district has now voted to approve the gay-straight alliance.] The strange decision to grant the club temporary approval results from demands made by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and Equality Pennsylvania. The … [Read more...]
Partial Court Victory for LGBT Rights and Free Expression in Russia
Posted on March 20, 2013
Gay Star News has just reported on an important court ruling against an anti-gay law in Russia. According to the report, the court's ruling invalidates a ban on certain LGBT pride marches in the country's Kostroma region. Some restrictions still apply, however: The ruling affirmed a lower court's conclusion that two demonstrations in front of a children's library and a youth center were illegal "propaganda of homosexuality" that could have "harmful effects on children." LGBT equality advocate … [Read more...]
Hesperia School Officials Need to Consider Quick, Decisive Action on LGBT Issues
Posted on March 19, 2013
Unless they act quickly and decisively, officials in yet another school district may face a lawsuit from LGBT youth and their allies. And if they're sued, the officials could easily lose. According to a letter sent yesterday to the interim superintendent of Hesperia Unified School District in California, the district faces potential legal action by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP on behalf of student members of a gay-straight … [Read more...]
Gay-Straight Alliance Updates: Chambersburg, Lake County & Manitoba
Posted on March 17, 2013
At the time of this post, Thomas McCalmont's change.org petition to members of the school board in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, has received 6,074 on-line signatures. The petition asks the board members to support students' efforts to form a gay-straight alliance (GSA) at the local high school. As I've reported in other posts, the school board recently voted 5-4 to reject the students' application for the club. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and Equality Pennsylvania then sent … [Read more...]
Gay-Straight Alliance Updates: Lake County, Polk County & Fort Worth
We've got three updates this weekend about gay-straight alliances and safe-schools efforts in Texas and Florida, including information on how you can speak out for LGBT youth and their allies in the ongoing controversy in Lake County. … [Read more...]