CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Despite hearing testimony that LGBT youth were three times more likely to take their own lives as opposed to their straight peers, Chambersburg, Pa., school board members on Wednesday voted against allowing a gay-straight alliance to be established at a local high school.
A motion to form the Gay-Straight Alliance at Chambersburg Area Senior High School had been previously tabled in January. A spokesperson for the school board said that at the time the board had concerns regarding the wording of the proposed GSA’s constitution.
According to the GSA’s proposed student President Amber Fogelsonger, the group’s constitution’s wording was taken from the National GSA which specifies that the club would select its advisers.
Disagreement over that aspect of the wording came as school board members argued that it is set policy that school administration recommend the advisers and the board votes on it.
In Wednesday’s board meeting, advocates for the GSA asked the board to allow the club to form during the public comments session.
“Students need a place to talk safely,” Matthew Basillo, one of the advisers planning to mentor the new club, told board members. “Is this need being addressed? It’s not. They need a place to feel safe, dispel myths, grow and prosper.”
Basillo advised the school board that LGBT teens “often do not have anyone outside of school who understands them and supports them.”Stephanie Metz, an educator in nearby Shippensburg, Pa., and a Chambersburg resident, warned the board of the consequences that could come from banning a GSA. She said she does not want her tax dollars to be used on a court case because the Constitution allows equal opportunity when it comes to student club formation.
“Do not promote ignorance by voting ‘no.’ Narrow-minded viewpoints seem to be pervasive on this board,” she said.
The 1984 Federal Equal Access Act requires secondary schools to allow a variety of student-run religious and non-religious voluntary clubs that meet during “non-instructional” time. This law was later upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court.
The board voted 5-4 to deny formation of the club.
“This time we’re going to take legal action because they cannot technically deny us, because if there are three other clubs in school that are not school-related, they cannot by law deny our club,” said Fogelsonger, after the vote.
Filed under: Pennsylvania
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Assssshooooolessss…….
they know Secretary Arne Duncan will never enforce this http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201010.pdf
Get the ACLU, the SPLC, the NCLR, and Lambda Legal involved. Blow them back into their anachronistic pews.
NO child should be denied the right to feel safe and have access to an education. What is WRONG with the school board and administration to DENY this!?
What is wrong with these schools? Do they not realize that these lawsuits eat up tax payer money. And aside from that this just wrong no discussion about it. A gay-straight alliance is an amazing way for their to be outreach.
Can you say “lawsuit”??? :)
Lawsuit, here we come!
It’s good to hear they’re going to take legal action, sometimes that’s the only way to win your right.
This is why im leaving pa
this is sad. this is like an hour 45 min from where i live. :(
Go Kids Go, Sue those Jerks!
… and my friends from college wonder why I won’t move back to Pittsburgh.
So much wrong with society
EEOC Violation! Discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Bullying School System!
So wrong!
Not a surprise for that place.
time to home school folks
Sounds like it is time to get NEW Chambersburg Pennsylvania School Board Members since these are obviously IGNORANT :>)
Narrow minded bigots
Seriously? Is this 1990? Get with the times PA!
When I see stories like this, I am even more thankful for the supportive administration at Avon High School (Indiana)!
This is bigoted, close-minded and sad for all youth in the town.
‘FAIL!’
The more students around the country are empowered and form Gay Straight Alliances, the more bigots we will face. Stay strong~
How sad for all these, as well as future students. Time to elect a new school board.
What the fuck – come on now.
We have them in Tennessee.
I just don’t get it…
“Ignorance is bliss”
I’m not going to say anything about closed-minded bigots. That would be rude and insensitive.
They are all probably Republicunts!
Sic to treat kids with their bigotry.
Criminals go straight. Gay or bisexual is not a crime.
Do I really need to say this: narrow minded, bigoted idiots. Every school should have a GSA so that students can learn that understanding diversity is important to the culture of this country. I wonder if they this school board would allow the KKK to have a meeting in the school gym.
Phooie. What century are they in?
These stories popping up on my news feed make me sway back and forth like no other. “YAY PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE!” “NOOO WHY DID WE GO BACKWARDS!”