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Anti-gay vandalism leads to multiple school suspensions

Friday, May 27, 2005

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Two ninth-grade students who painted an anti-gay message on a rock in their school’s courtyard have been suspended for at least 10 days and might face criminal prosecution, the school district said last week. Meanwhile, three seniors who in response painted the word “love” over the message and elsewhere on school grounds were suspended for the rest of the school year. Initially, they had been suspended for 10 days. The three seniors won’t be allowed to take part in their graduation ceremony or any other senior activities. On May 8, the three seniors and a sophomore used spray paint to cover the words “God hates fags” scrawled on a rock near the high school entrance. The sophomore also was suspended for 10 days. Although the rock is frequently painted by students, the students also spray-painted the word “love” more than 25 times around the flagpole and more than 25 times on sidewalks on the north side of the building. Howell Public Schools said it had identified the two students who painted the first, anti-gay message but did not identify them. The two students face punishment for violating the school’s hate literature and vandalism policies.

Judge won’t immediately force publication of gay students’ story
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) — A Kern County judge declined to immediately overrule a high school principal’s decision to censor student newspaper articles on homosexuality, saying the issue deserved a full review. “This is an important issue that would require an opportunity to have a full and complete hearing,” Kern County Superior Court Judge Arthur E. Wallace said Wednesday after denying the plaintiffs’ request for an emergency order that would have allowed the articles to be published in the Kernal’s May 27 year-end issue. The high school journalists sued the Kern High School District on May 19, after Principal John Gibson decided they couldn’t run a series of five articles discussing subjects such as gay student’s relationship with their parents, whether homosexuality is biologically determined, and how it felt to come out. School officials said they could not be responsible for violence or harassment by allowing the articles to be published. “If one of these people is heckled or harassed, that’s an unlawful act,” said John Szewczyk, a school district attorney. “Statements have been made that these students are out, but we have no proof of that.”

North Carolina county adds gays to nondiscrimination policy
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Commissioners in North Carolina’s most populous county voted to add “sexual orientation” to its nondiscrimination policy despite vehement objections from Republicans. The new policy means Mecklenburg County cannot discriminate in hiring and personnel decisions on the basis of sexual orientation. The change was approved 6-3 last week. Other North Carolina counties and cities have passed similar anti-discrimination policies, and two counties — Durham and Orange — offer domestic partner benefits.

Gay political candidates celebrate wins in 2005
WASHINGTON — Early election victories have made 2005 a strong year so far for out gay political candidates, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee based in Washington, D.C. Victory Fund officials said three gay candidates took office last week, while two more advanced to general elections. The group backed Barbara Baier, who became the first openly gay official in Nebraska when she won election to the Lincoln, Neb., school board. In addition, the group supported Elena Guajardo, winner in the primary for an open seat on the San Antonio City Council, and Mary Jo Hudson, who kept her seat on the Columbus, Ohio, City Council. “Gays and lesbians deserve equal access to the American dream, and we will never get from here to there without having a voice and a vote in the halls of government,” Chuck Wolfe, Victory Fund’s president and CEO, said in a news release.

Log Cabin Republicans air TV ad during North Carolina convention
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The Log Cabin Republicans ran a television commercial during the state GOP convention urging the state party to be more inclusive. Log Cabin, which was barred by GOP Chair Ferrell Blount from setting up a table at last year’s convention, paid to broadcast the ad through last weekend on Asheville’s cable television system. “Our commercial has a simple message: The GOP can be an inclusive majority party uniting all North Carolinians or it can be an intolerant party hijacked by the radical right’s divisive social agenda,” said Chris Barron, the group’s political director, at a news conference in Asheville. Barron’s group decided against asking for a table at this year’s convention. Instead, they spent from about $5,000 to air the 30-second ad.

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