Schools In Two States Targeted For Ill Treatment Of Gays

"This school allows its students to freely express their views on gay and lesbian rights - but only if they're on the anti-gay side of the issue," said Jolie Justus, a member of the legal panel for the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, noting that bumperstickers in favor of Missouri's recently-passed anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment are ubiquitous in the school's hallways and parking lot. She added, "This is a classic case of censorship. Brad Mathewson has the same Constitutional right to political speech and expression that the Supreme Court says all students have."

Mathewson was sent to the principal's office by his homeroom teacher on October 20 after she spotted his t-shirt. The shirt bears the name of the GSA at his old high school in Fayetteville, Arkansas (FHS Gay-Straight Alliance), a pink triangle, and the words, "Make a Difference!" When an assistant principal saw it, he told Mathewson to go home and change shirts because someone might be offended by it. Although Mathewson pointed out the anti-gay marriage stickers seen throughout the school, his concerns were ignored. Mathewson was again disciplined when he came to school on October 27 wearing a t-shirt featuring a rainbow and the phrase, "I'm gay and I'm proud."

In a letter sent late yesterday to school, the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri pointed to the school's dress code policy, which only states that students' clothing must be "free of obscene or suggestive markings, advertisements of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, drugs, and/or other products deemed inappropriate by school officials." The ACLU goes on to demand that officials remove any mention of the incident from Mathewson's records and allow him to wear the shirts without fear of punishment.

In California, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of gay and lesbian students at Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles who claim they were sexually harassed by students, teachers, security guards and administrators.

At a news conference, the ACLU's Cathrine Lhamon said that "teachers are calling the kids sinners, teachers are calling the kids unholy, teachers are calling the kids faggots, teachers are telling the kids it's not OK to be gay."

One student said he and his boyfriend were caught kissing on the South Los Angeles campus and a security guard and an administrator ridiculed them.

The student also said heterosexual couples kissing on campus were not subject to the treatment he and his boyfriend received. A student identifying herself as bisexual said a teacher "outed" her to her parents, causing her embarrassment and humiliation, and told her homosexuals will go to hell.

She said she was hurt because she is a religious person.

Kevin Reed, a lawyer who represents the Los Angeles Unified School District, called the allegations "absolutely incorrect." Reed said the district has conducted 170 tolerance-based training sessions, including three at Washington Preparatory.

He said LAUSD has been at the forefront of protecting students.

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