Coming out in high school can be tough for anyone, and any form of support system can be crucial in that environment. Gay-Straight Alliances across the country provide that assistance to young GLBT students, but they are not without controversy, as students in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania recently found out.
A proposed GSA in the Waynesboro Area School District in Pennsylvania has caused a rift within the community, and the school board has denied the addition of the club until further discussion. The federal Equal Access Act essentially guarantees the club will be allowed to form, but the controversy itself isn’t likely to go away.
A Waynesboro resident, James Teeter, explains his opposition, “The Bible is my authority
on all things and I feel that homosexuality is sinful. It goes against
God’s word … Having this club is condoning homosexuality as an OK
thing — something that God says very clearly is very wrong.”
Board president K. Marilyn Smith is supportive of the GSA and says, “These are kids. The only
message they want to put out there is to have an environment that is
safe and friendly for all students.”
Hopefully these kids can get their GSA; it can literally be a life-saver.
– Andy
Picture courtesy of Youthnoise.com
Is James Teeter listed in the phone book? Everybody call him up, at all hours of the night, and tell him where to stick that bible…. muhahahaha
Anybody else here notice manhunt censors the comment section? Wow whatever happened to freedom of speech? Way to go manhunt! What a friggin crock.
Hmmm censor what?
Ohmigosh, a coastal state is doing something against the freedom of speech! That’s far more newsworthy than oppression in the Midwest, you guys!
“and tell him where to stick that bible..”
Here we go again, gays bashing religion…You idiots who think that religion only represents zealot conservatives need to be reminded that there are gay Christians who would find anti-religious comments like this just as offensive. Or, are we to believe that gays have no business in believing in God because the majority of you subscribe to the idea that being gay is wrong according to any religious dogma? And what say you of straight Christians who accept and support gay rights, yet are dismayed when their religious beliefs are being denegrated by intolerant gay rights groups? Where’s the diversity we tout?