Fla. Federal Court: Students’ pro-homosexual speech must be allowed in schools
The ACLU Blog carries this post along with a link to a ruling issued yesterday by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. The ACLU reports:
. . . The case, Gillman v. Holmes County School District, came about in September 2007 when a lesbian student at Ponce de Leon High School in the Florida panhandle went to the principal to report that she was being harassed by other students because she is a lesbian. Instead of addressing the harassment, the principal grilled her about being a lesbian, told her that being a lesbian is “not right,” demanded her parents’ phone number so he could call them to out her, and threatened her with suspension if she didn’t stay away from the students who were harassing her . . .
The Court’s order includes the following:
. . . 3. The School Board for Holmes County, Florida, shall take such affirmative steps as are necessary to remedy the past restraints of expression of support for the respect, equal treatment, and acceptance of homosexuals, including, but not limited to, notifying in writing the Ponce de Leon High School student body, including the middle school students who attend the school, as well as school officials within the Holmes County School District, that students are permitted to express their support for the respect, equal treatment, and acceptance of homosexuals pursuant to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that do not materially and substantially disrupt the missions of the schools;
4. The School Board for Holmes County, Florida, its officers, agents, affiliates, subsidiaries, servants, employees, and all other persons or entities in active concert or privity or participation with them, are permanently enjoined from taking retaliatory action against Plaintiff for bringing this lawsuit, or against any students for their participation in this lawsuit, or for their past, present, or future expressions of support for the respect, equal treatment, and acceptance of homosexuals . . .
3 Comments
THE SCHOOL SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT BEING A GAY IS NOT NATURA. TO ME IT IS A MENTALL ILNESS
Will anti-homosexual speech also be allowed?
Addendum to previous comment: v.27 also infers bodily penalties, but if the last verse weren’t absolutely true, there, it would be insanity.