Stacey Campfield

Campfield, appearing on the Michelangelo Signorile Show on Sirius XM radio last week, claimed that HIV originated in the gay community by an airline pilot who had sex with monkey, and that it was “virtually impossible” to contract the disease through heterosexual sex.

“I hope that Stacy Campfield now knows what if feels like to be unfairly discriminated against,” wrote Boggs of the incident, on her restaurant's Facebook page.

"He's gone from being stupid to dangerous," she told the Knoxville News Sentinel. "It's just my way of standing up to a bully."

Campfield (R-Knoxville) has made national headlines as sponsor of the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which he prefers to call "don't teach gay."

The bill would prohibit public elementary and middle school teachers from providing instruction, material or counseling that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality. Campfield claims the bill is necessary because homosexuality is a “learned behavior.”

The bill passed the state Senate last year, and is now awaiting a vote in the Tennessee state House.

The so-called “license to bully” bill (HB 1153/SB 0760) would allow students to share any “religious, philosophical, or political views” that are “unpopular,” regardless of their consequences to the learning environment, and limits educators’ ability to curb such harassment.

Joe Ragan

Equality advocates lodged an email protest campaign against the measure, but were particularly surprised by the reaction of state Rep. John Ragan (R).

In a long letter to one opponent of the bill, Ragan replied that gay “feelings” can be controlled by “mentally healthy adult human beings,” and concluded by stating, “Should society avoid disapproving of pedophilia, prostitution, murder, etc., because practitioners of those behaviors may commit suicide at higher rates?” An excerpt from his letter:

Examining another statistic, it has been well known for a decade that suicide is attempted much more frequently in the homosexual community than in the heterosexual community (Mathy, Cochran, Olsen, & Mays, 2009). This same source pointed out that, on average, suicide is approximately three times more likely among homosexuals than heterosexuals.

As a fitting critical thought question, it could be asked if other identifiable groups that engage in behavior of which “others may disapprove” commit suicide at similar rates? In other words, do prostitutes, pedophiles, polygamists, murders, etc., commit suicide at the same, or similar, rates to homosexual behavior practitioners?

If similar rates were hypothetically so (not proven to be the case), do these behavior practitioners commit suicide at a higher rate because someone may have disapproved of their behavior or for other reasons? Should society avoid disapproving of pedophilia, prostitution, murder, etc., because practitioners of those behaviors may commit suicide at higher rates?

The mindset behind the measure undermines research that shows that the presence of LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying policies, supportive staff, and gay-straight alliances help minimize bullying.

In addition to this bill, the Tennessee legislature will also reconsider the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prevents teachers and staff from providing any educational support about LGBT identities.

Phillip Parker

His parents said Phillip was constantly bullied because he was gay.

WSMV-TV reports:

"He was fun, he was energetic, he was happy," said Gena Parker, Phillip's mother.

To his many friends, Phillip was known as the boy who told everyone they're beautiful.

"He kept telling me he had a rock on his chest," said Ruby Harris, Phillip's grandmother. "He just wanted to take the rock off where he could breathe."

Phillip's family said they reported their concerns over their son's bullying to Gordonsville High School on multiple occasions, but the bullying by a group of students just got worse.

"I believe my whole family up in heaven's taking good care of him," said friend Megan Redinger.

"I want to say I love him dearly," added friend Heather Hunt. "He'll never be forgotten. He's always in my heart."

"That's my son," said Phillip Parker, Phillip's father. "I love him. I miss him. He shouldn't have had to kill himself to be brought to life."

Phillip's parents said that students at Gordonsville High school have bombarded them with information since Phillip's death -- more than hundred teens told them the bullying was obvious, and some said they went to teachers about it.

"Because he was gay, he got mistreated physically, mentally by several people out there at the school, and I am very resentful as a result of it," said Phillip's grandfather, Paul Harris.

WSMV reported that more than 100 people gathered on Saturday night to grieve for the loss of Phillip.

Phillip's parents plan to meet with Gordonsville High School officials on Monday morning, and a spokesperson at Smith County Schools said they are now planning how to address the situation with students.

The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) Upper Cumberland Committee has announced it will hold a candlelight vigil in Cookeville, Tenn., on Thursday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m. in memory of Phillip and other victims of bullying, including Jacob Rogers, a gay teen from Ashland City who took his life in December.

The event will take place at the Courthouse Square -- candles will be provided, and participants are asked to bring their own signs.

According to Beth Thompson of the TEP Upper Cumberland Committee, "While not only youth who identify as LGBT are targets of bullies, they have been found to be up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey."

The event is designed to show support for LGBT youth while the Tennessee General Assembly continues to debate legislation such as the "License to Bully" bill, the "Don’t Say Gay" bill, and the transphobic "Bathroom Bill," all of which have drawn national scorn from LGBT advocates.

Phillip is the third gay teen this month to commit suicide under similar circumstances:

In the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, Jeffrey Fehr, 18, hanged himself at his family’s home in Granite Bay, Calif. Jeffrey's parents are convinced that a lifetime of taunts and bullying contributed to their gay son's decision to take his own life.

On Jan. 11, Eric James Borges, 19, of Visalia, Calif., also died, the victim of an apparent suicide. Known as EricJames to his friends, he was an intern with The Trevor Project and a young film maker who was not accepted by his birth family because he was gay.

Editor's Note: If you or someone you know needs support, please don’t hesitate to call the Trevor Project's Lifeline at 866-488-7386.

The legislation sponsored by Representative Joey Hensley, (R-Hohenwald) which was scheduled to be heard Wednesday by the House Education Subcommittee, limits all sexually related instruction to "natural human reproduction science" in kindergarten through the eighth grades.

A similar measure passed the Senate in 2011.

Representative Hensley said he plans to now amend his version to reflect the language of the Senate measure telling reporters that he believes it will pass.

Though supporters of the bill assert that it is ideologically neutral, and allows families to discuss the sensitive topic of sexuality when parents feel their children are ready, many have noted that the bill actually ostracizes LGBT students since it promotes heterosexuality as the only form of sexuality that can be discussed by teachers.

Opponents of the bill also claim it will prevent teachers and school officials from preventing the bullying of LGBTQ youths.

The bill (SB 2282) would institute a $50 fine for anybody who does not use the public restroom or dressing room that matches the sex identification on his or her birth certificate:

(b) Except as provided in § 68-15-303, where a restroom or dressing room in a public building is designated for use by members of one particular sex, only members of that particular sex shall be permitted to use that restroom or dressing room.

(c) A violation of subsection (b) is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00).

If passed, this bill would make Tennessee a particularly unfriendly place for people who are transgender. Tennessee law does not allow for the sex to be changed on birth certificates, which means this law would make it illegal for transgender people to utilize any public accommodations that match their gender. It would also impose on any businesses — such as Macy’s — that have transgender-inclusive policies.

Last year, the Family Action Council of Tennessee ran transphobic ads to support a bill that banned all municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people. The ads rehashed the “bathroom meme,” the fear that all transgender people are sexual predators trying to use the wrong restroom to find children to abuse.

In reality, there has never been a case of someone using a transgender identity to molest children, nor is there anything to suggest that this bill would do anything to make children safer from actual predators. (HT: Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition.)

Much has unfolded in the day since the bill was first introduced.

First, state Sen. Bo Watson (R) has withdrawn his version of the bill. He had introduced it as a courtesy to state Rep. Richard Floyd (R), who represents the same region of Tennessee. In a statement to ThinkProgress, Watson’s communications director explained that “Sen. Watson concluded that there are far more pressing issues facing the state of Tennessee at this time.”

Floyd now stands alone as the sponsor of the bill (HB 2279), which he defended yesterday using incredibly transphobic rhetoric. In no uncertain terms, he explained that he would resort to violence if he ever encountered someone transgender in a dressing room:

FLOYD: I believe if I was standing at a dressing room and my wife or one of my daughters was in the dressing room and a man tried to go in there — I don’t care if he thinks he’s a woman and tries on clothes with them in there — I’d just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry.

Don’t ask me to adjust to their perverted way of thinking and put my family at risk. We cannot continue to let these people dominate how society acts and reacts. Now if somebody thinks he’s a woman and he’s a man and wants to try on women’s clothes, let him take them into the men’s bathroom or dressing room.

In an extended interview with WTVF News Chanel 5, Floyd doubled down on his comments, claiming that his bill doesn’t “penalize anybody,” it “protects everybody,” and he could “care less” what transgender advocacy groups think. Watch it:

This bill is nothing short of an outright attack on transgender people, and Floyd’s comments make it clear he lacks any understanding or compassion for the trans community. Enforcement of this bill could lead to ID checks in public restrooms and would be devastatingly stigmatizing, especially considering Tennessee offers no option for individuals to change their birth certificate gender markers.

Even individuals passing through one of Tennessee’s airports or bus stops could be targeted for these fines, just for being transgender.

Val Burke said the staff at Rolling Hills Hospital had previously denied multiple requests by her to visit her partner, who is currently a patient in the hospital's residential facility. Burke said that staff members excluded her from the room since she was not a legal spouse nor a family member.

"I went to visit her at the appropriate visiting time and was turned away," she says. "We have been living together for three years now, but that didn't matter to them either. The rest of her family is out of town, so she didn't have any one visit her."

Burke said she had previously been allowed visitation rights, but only with her partner's mother in attendance.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in September issued the rules for equal visitation and representation rights for LGBTQ persons.

The regulations require all hospitals participating in Medicaid and Medicare programs – virtually every hospital in the country – to permit patients to designate visitors of their choosing and prohibit discrimination in visitation based on a number of factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity.

Hospitals are also required to put their visitation policies in writing, including any "clinically necessary or reasonable restrictions" to visitation that may be appropriate.

Richard Bangert, chief executive officer of Rolling Hills called the visitation denial a "human error."

"They made a mistake," Bangert said. "When I learned of it, I immediately met with my staff on Monday. We immediately made the change in terms of making sure that our policy was very clear.”

The Human Rights Campaign and the Tennessee Equality Project called on all hospitals to review their policies and practices related to hospital visitation after the Rolling Hills incident was made public.

While noting that the incident at Rolling Hills Hospital has been resolved, both advocacy groups said that it serves as a reminder of the importance of hospital visitation rights for LGBT Americans.

“Rolling Hills Hospital fixed the problem immediately, but this serves as a reminder discrimination still exists in the health-care arena and we need to tackle it,” said Paul Guequierre, HRC spokesman.

Bangert said he plans to meet with Burke saying, “I will apologize and work with her directly,” he said. “I take it very personally. This is not representative of the hospital.”

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. -- Students at a local school are grieving a classmate. Friends say the young man took his own life because he couldn't take any more bullying.

And they say school officials knew about the torment but didn't do enough to stop it.

WSMV-TV

Jacob Rogers

Friends say that kids bullied Jacob Rogers at Cheatham County Central High School for the past four years, but in the past few months it had become so bad he dropped out of school.

And Wednesday, he ended his life.

"He started coming home his senior year saying 'I don't want to go back. Everyone is so mean. They call me a f****, they call me gay, a queer,'" friend Kaelynn Mooningham said.

Kaelynn said her friend Jacob felt ignored.

"Jacob told me no one was helping him. He constantly was going to guidance," she said.

But Cheatham County Schools Director Dr. Tim Webb said the school was only aware of one incident of bullying.

"She actually intervened and called the students in accused of bullying or picking. She called them in, talked to them and gave them warnings. Subsequently after that, she ran into the student and asked him if things were better and he indicated that things were better," Webb said.

But Kaelynn knows that Jacob wasn't OK. Things were still so bad around Thanksgiving that he ultimately quit going to school.

"No one would listen and stand up for him," she said.

Brentwood attorney Larry Crane has worked on several cases involving bullying where schools failed to do enough.

"Federal government is taking a closer look at these cases," he said.

And now, those like Kaelynn are wondering when is enough, finally enough?

"It just doesn't have to make sense. How many kids have to die before Cheatham does something," she said.

Kaelynn says Jacob lived with his grandmother who primarily took care of him. She found a couple notes that Jacob left for her. In those notes Jacob left passwords to his email and his phone so investigators could determine why he chose to kill himself.

As for Cheatham Central, counselors will be on hand again Thursday for grieving classmates.

Friends of Jacob's family say they likely don't have enough money to hold a funeral. Donations for a funeral are being accepted at Sandman's Ink Shop, a local tattoo shop in Ashland City.

A video report is also available at WSMV-TV.

WATE-TV

Andrea Jones

The Social Security Administration recognizes Jones as a woman and she is treated as such under federal statues. However, the Tennessee Department of Safety -- which oversees issuance of driver's licenses -- told WATE-TV in Knoxville that they would only change the sex on a license “if an applicant presents a doctor’s statement indicating that a full sex change has occurred and the procedure is complete."

"It's not right for the state to ask me to be both male and female. A choice needs to be made. They cannot hold me to both standards," Jones told the station in an interview. "What I had was a statement from a surgeon saying I no longer had my testicles," she added.

Angered by the response from the Department of Motor Vehicle's staff, Jones said she decided to make a statement by taking her shirt off in the parking lot.

The Morristown police were called to the DMV office, and according to the officer's initial report of the incident, "Mr. Jones continued to yell that he had the right to show his breasts in public and wanted to be recognized as a female."

"If I was a male, I had the right to, when I stepped out the door, take off my shirt," Jones explained.

A court date has been set for December 20 on the charge of indecent exposure.

LEXINGTON, Tenn. -- The parent of an 11th grade Lexington High School student said her son, Kasey Landrum, 16, was issued an in-school suspension after he was caught wearing makeup 10 minutes after school ended.

"The principal walked into the school and immediately started yelling at me and told me to get outside," said Landrum. He said he did exactly as Lexington High School Principal Steve Lindsey instructed without a reply. He said another student who witnessed the incident told the principal Landrum was simply expressing himself by wearing the makeup.

Kasey Landrum

Landrum said the principal and student exchanged words which would later lead to her being issued a one day in-school suspension. The next day Landrum said he was called to the office and issued a three day in-school suspension.

"I'm very upset about it because he can't be who he wants to be," said Shelly Maness, Kasey Landrum's mother. "When I went to register him, about the make-up, he (Lindsey) reminded us Kasey was not to be wearing any," she adds.

The suspension form obtained by Maness cited her son was suspended on the basis he violated the school's dress code which states: "When a student is attired in a manner, which is likely to cause disruption or interference with normal operation of the school, the administration will take the appropriate action. In matters of opinion, the judgment of the teachers and administrators will prevail."

"I don't know what kind of disruption it may have cause or may not have caused," said Henderson County Superintendent Steve Wilkinson. Superintendent Wilkinson said the principal has the authority to determine what is deemed a distraction.

Landrum said this was the second time he has been reprimanded for wearing makeup. "We went to a football game... we were told to leave," he said. He said the day he was reprimanded another student with what he calls a "punk rock" style wore makeup, but was not punished. "He had it on all day, so I was like if he can do it so can I."

When asked whether he knew of any cases where students were distracted, Landrum said there were no incidents which were caused as a result of him wearing makeup and said overall the students and teachers have been very supportive of him.

"I'm proud of myself for being as comfortable as I am, but sometimes I wish I was straight," he said. He said the emotional impact of not being able to express himself has led to depression which has caused him to miss days from school.

"I'm proud of my son, gay or straight or whatever. I want him to feel the same way," said Maness. Superintendent Wilkinson said Maness has the right to appeal her son's suspension.

Following is a video report from WBBJ-TV:

The board said it would also review its dress code to ensure that students’ right to free speech is protected.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Tennessee demanded that the board revise its policies after Sequoyah High School student Chris Sigler was reportedly harassed by students and staff for wearing a T-shirt supporting a GSA.

“A lot of kids get harassed at our school because they’re gay or they have gay friends, and we just want a space where we can all support each other and do something positive,” said Sigler.

“We still want the GSA to be recognized as a club, but at least now the school won’t punish us for peacefully expressing our opinions.”

Last month, Sigler was reportedly physically and verbally harassed by Principal Maurice Moser for wearing a T-shirt in support of the club. Sigler has also reported harassment from fellow students.

Sigler and other Sequoyah students have been working to organize a GSA since the start of this school year and collected more than 150 signatures on a petition to form the club.

After other students circulated a petition opposing the club, Moser announced over the PA system that anyone discussing the GSA any further would be faced with punishment. The school has also refused to grant the GSA official recognition until a faculty member volunteers to act as its sponsor, and students say that a series of faculty members have expressed interest but then withdrawn from the effort after meeting with Moser.

The ACLU asked Sequoyah High School to ensure that students in the future are permitted to express controversial viewpoints, such as pro- or anti-GSA messages, through their clothing.

The federal Equal Access Act says that public schools cannot discriminate against non-curricular clubs based on the viewpoint of the club.

“Public schools have a responsibility to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Preventing students from even discussing discrimination they’ve endured on campus is not only mean-spirited, it’s unconstitutional,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.

“We look forward to working with this and other schools in Monroe County to ensure that proper policies and practices are enacted and enforced to protect all students.”

“While it’s encouraging that the school district has vowed to review its dress code, Sequoyah High School still lacks a safe place where LGBT students and their peers can gather to support each other,” said Amanda Goad, staff attorney with the ACLU LGBT Project.

Maurice Moser

Chris Sigler, a 17-year-old Senior, was reportedly shoved, bumped in the chest and verbally harassed by Principal Maurice Moser of the Sequoyah High School in Madisonville.

Moser told the teenager to either change the shirt or leave school, according to Sigler, and Sigler's mother who was called to pick him up. Before she arrived at the school, Moser cleared the classroom Sigler was in and — Sigler alleges — pushed him and chest-bumped him while saying "You think you're a big man now?" and "What you gonna do about this?"

According to the Siglers, Chris' sister Jessica Sigler witnessed the incident.

The Change.org petition was initiated by the Gay Straight Alliance Network, based in San Francisco, and the Tennessee Equality Project on Oct. 4 after the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Monroe County Schools warning it was contemplating a lawsuit.

“It is totally unacceptable that a young man who was peacefully exercising his First Amendment rights would have his speech shut down by the public school principal,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.

“Last week’s incident clearly illustrates the hostile environment LGBT students face at Sequoyah High School. Given this context, it’s especially important that supportive voices like Sigler’s can be heard in order to overcome the school’s resistance to a GSA.”

Chuck Cagle, attorney for Monroe County Schools, said Monday he had not seen the petition and had no plans to look at it. Cagle said the ACLU will receive a response.

"We plan to respond. I'm not sure that it's going to get done by tomorrow," Cagle said. "The people who write letters like that like to place arbitrary deadlines on them."

Tricia Herzfeld, ACLU of Tennessee legal director, said it is normal practice to give schools a week to answer ACLU requests.

"We gave the school district a week, which is the amount of time we usually give schools to respond to our requests that they stop violating students' rights. After speaking with the school district it sounds like they need more time to come in line with the Constitution. Given that it is fall break we will give them until early next week," she said.

According to Trenton police, they recently arrested Pastor Jerry Pittman, of Fruitland's Grace Fellowship Church, on charges of stealing from a local business.

"It's hard enough nowadays to trust people and I just can't believe that a pastor would even steal anything," said Trenton resident Hayley Gordon.

Police arrested the 52-year-old on September 21, after his estranged wife told them she had heard from co-workers that he had been stealing from her business.

"Our investigation into the incident that was reported showed that he and another gentleman did scrap copper at a scrap yard here in Trenton," Lt. James Wilson said.

More: WBBJ-TV

Last week, Jerry Pittman, Jr., and his partner Dustin Lee were assaulted at the Church, in an attack allegedly planned by Pittman's father.

The couple filed assault charges against Deacons Billy Sims and Eugene McCoy. Pittman pressed additional charges against his father and Deacon Patrick Flatt.

Maurice Moser

After starting a petition in the school for the GSA, Nathan was threatened with suspension should he continue to pursue that course of action.

I followed up by speaking with Principal Maurice Moser, who informed me that the only reason the GSA was not possible was due to the fact they couldn’t find a faculty sponsor. Moser went on to accidentally inform me that he’d assisted other clubs with finding one, and when I pressed him to find out why he wasn’t helping these students, he became very flustered and combative.

On Tuesday, the ACLU is reporting that Moser has assaulted one of his students for wearing a t-shirt promoting the Gay Straight Alliance. Chris Sigler, a 17-year-old Senior, was reportedly shoved, bumped in the chest and verbally harassed by Moser for wearing the t-shirt that said “GSA: We’ve got your back.”

“It is totally unacceptable that a young man who was peacefully exercising his First Amendment rights would have his speech shut down by the public school principal,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.

“Last week’s incident clearly illustrates the hostile environment LGBT students face at Sequoyah High School. Given this context, it’s especially important that supportive voices like Sigler’s can be heard in order to overcome the school’s resistance to a GSA.”

According to the ACLU statement, a teacher ordered Sigler to cover up the shirt in the future after he wore it Tuesday. Sigler, knowing he had a right to wear the shirt, wore it again Friday, and resisted an order to remove the shirt.

Sigler says that Moser then ordered all students out of the classroom, except for Sigler’s sister Jessica, who refused to leave. According to both students, Moser then grabbed Sigler’s arm, shoved him, and chest-bumped him repeatedly while asking “Who’s the big man now?”

Sigler’s mother reported that when she arrived at the school, she saw her son seated in a desk with Moser leaning over him and shouting in Sigler’s face. The Siglers filed a report about the incident that afternoon with the Madisonville Police Department.

“All I want is to have a GSA at my school to help stop the bullying against gays and lesbians and their friends who support them,” Sigler said.

“The shirt was a way to use my voice and show my support for the club. The way I was treated shows even more why we need a GSA here.”

“All students deserve a safe and respectful learning environment. Harassment, abuse or censorship of any student – regardless of sexual orientation – is absolutely reprehensible as well as illegal,” said Amanda Goad, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. “We expect the police to investigate this quickly and fairly, and take statements from all witnesses who were present.”

The ACLU has sent a demand letter to the school district can be viewed here.

Though the ACLU can only really protect these students’ constitutional rights, this physical and verbal intimidation from the principal of the school must be met with stronger action and a call for the principal’s resignation. If the story is true, Moser should be arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime. If this is the example being set for students in a time when bullying has become fatal, this is a man who should not be in charge of a school.

Update: Petition launched at Change.org

Sources say that the anti-gay hatred in Monroe County runs deep. One source claimed that churches in the area were telling parishioners to fight the GSA as hard as they can. Another source indicated that religious corruption has dictated governmental affairs there for a long time.

The Tennessee Equality Project has created a Change.org petition demanding a full and fair investigation into the assault. It seems when the Monroe County Sheriff questioned individuals involved in the incident, he left out the only non-participatory witness, Chris’ sister.

The petition states:

“The Sigler family filed report about the assault which is being investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies interviewed Chris Sigler, his teacher and Principal Mosby, but did not question Jessica Sigler who witnessed the entire incident. Given the level of intimidation and hostility that GSA-supportive students have experienced in recent weeks, TEP believes that the Sheriff is not fully and fairly investigating the assault of Chris Sigler by his Principal by leaving a key witness out of the investigation.”

WBBJ-TV

Jerry Pittman, Jr. (left), and Dustin Lee

"I went over to take the keys out of the ignition and all the sudden I hear someone say 'sick'em,'" said Gibson County resident, Jerry Pittman Jr.

Pittman said the attacked was prompted by the pastor of the church, Jerry Pittman, his father.

"My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad's request. My uncle smash me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn't help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back," said Pittman. He said bystanders did not offer assistance. He said the deacon yelled derogatory homosexual slurs, even after officers arrived. He said the officers never intervened to stop the deacons from yelling the slurs.

"If I was on the scene I would not have allowed that. The deputy should not have allowed it if he did," said Gibson County Sheriff Chuck Arnold.

Pittman said neither he nor Lee were allowed to press charges while at the church.

"I haven't talk to him but that would be out of character for my deputy to say unless they were causing a problem themselves," said Sheriff Arnold.

Friday, the couple filed assault charges against Deacons Billy Sims and Eugene McCoy. Pittman pressed additional charges against his father and Deacon Patrick Flatt. Pastor Pittman's attorney contacted ABC 7 Eyewitness News by phone and said she had no comment and demanded we not contact the pastor.

All parties are due in court October 4 for a preliminary hearing in the filing of Domestic Assault charges against Pittman's father and uncle.

Update: Tennessee Equality Project responds

In a statement Monday afternoon to LGBTQ Nation, the Tennessee Equality Project's Madison County Committee and it's statewide leaders said they "stand firmly behind Jerry Pittman, Jr. and Dustin Lee as the facts of their case continue to emerge."

The facts of the case, as reported to us thus far, can only lead to one conclusion: that the assaults suffered by both Mr. Pittman, Jr. and Mr. Lee were motivated by nothing more than hate, homophobia, ignorance, and intolerance.

Particularly disturbing is the fact that this couple had previously been welcomed, on numerous occasions, to attend worship services at this particular church. Even more disturbing is the fact that Mr. Pittman, Jr's own family members (who also happen to be leaders of this particular congregation) instigated, initiated, and carried out these assaults.

The Tennessee Equality Project and it's local committees across the state, stand ready to both assist and advocate for persons who find themselves the victim of and type of discrimination.

- Drew W. Baker, Madison County Chair, Tennessee Equality Project

Nathan Carroll

Nathan started a petition at his school to get support to start the GSA, while kids opposing it started a similar petition.

But despite Nathan’s efforts, and the nearly 150 teens who’ve signed the petition, when he brought it to Principal Maurice Moser, he was threatened with suspension should he proceed in trying to form the GSA.

Additionally, the Principal said that any students found with one of Nathan’s petitions would have the petition torn up and thrown away and that they be sent immediately to his office for further punishment.

Of course, students are legally allowed to start the club should they find an adviser, and Director of Schools Mike Lowry said the students "would be treated fairly," according to this report by WBIR-TV:

On Friday, I spoke with Principal Moser, who said that students were having verbal arguments about the potential Gay Straight Alliance, and it was “disturbing the educational environment.”

He went on to say that he was exercising his rights as principal to then stop the petitions and all discussions of the GSA forming.

Asked if he also considered bullying a "disturbance to the educational environment," Moser replied that if a student reports it and has sufficient proof that they were bullied, then the bullies are “dealt with accordingly.”

Moser said the process to form a club requires a faculty sponsor, and that students were having trouble finding one for the GSA.

He then explained that a faculty sponsor for several clubs had transferred schools this summer, and that he had spent a good deal of time recruiting faculty members to fill in the holes left by the former faculty member.

But when asked why he did not assist the students in finding a sponsor for the GSA, Moser said wouldn't "force" any faculty member to sponsor the GSA, that he only assisted existing clubs, and could never help find a sponsor for a new club.

Moser's disdain for the students trying to start a GSA came through several times during our conversation, and he implied more than once that his rights as a principal of a high school trumped the rights of students trying to fight bullying and anti-gay harassment.