Safe Schools Advocates Hold Their Ground
In a world where the far right frequently uses our families as political pawns, people often fail to realize that a war is being fought for the next generation of LGBTQ people in our nations schools. The sad truth is that majority of schools in the U.S. do not protect LGBTQ student from bullying and harassment. In 2008 Equality Florida passed a state-wide anti-bullying law that resulted in 67% of Florida's students being protected by LGBTQ specific protections. The only state that protects more LGBTQ students is California. The law was the result of 9 years of relentlessness by students, parents and Equality Florida. Right now in Washington state parents of a gay student with that same spirit are refusing to settle for anything less than equality for their son Ben. Check out the story below.
Michael Farmer
GSA Network Coordinator
[email protected]
To learn more about Equality Florida's continued commitment to safe schools in the sunshine state check out our Gay-Straight Alliance Network: www.eqfl.org/GSA.
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PALOUSE, WA. -- A male student at Garfield-Palouse High School in Palouse is a cheerleader but he isn't content with doing typical male cheerleader stunts. He wants to do the same dances and kicks and fist pumps as the females, but his mom says school administrators are discriminating against him and preventing him from cheering.Benjamin Grundy's mom Suzanne says school administrators are discriminating against him by not allowing him to do everything the girls do."At the beginning of the current season I was told I'd be able to participate in everything other cheerleaders would do, including the dance routine," Benjamin Grundy said.However later according to the Grundys Gar-Pal's athletic director pressured him to be the mascot instead of a cheerleader. Later he was forbidden from moving his legs and feet, dancing or even shaking his hips when he cheered.
"I was reduced to standing there and moving my arms," Benjamin said. "I didn't lift my legs or move from the place I was at, I just stood there.""I think the combination of a bi-racial, mentally challenged gay male may be too much for them," Suzanne said, adding that she feels the school is embarrassed by her son and are discriminating against him.
See the full story with video here.
