|
The Equality Herald - East Tennessee's source for LGBT community news |
|||
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|
ACLU addresses Jonesborough student’s plight Demands apology and no future punishment for Day of Silence participation
by
Beth Maples-Bays Jonesborough,
Tenn. – The
American
Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) speaks out in the wake of
a student’s suspension from David Crocket High School (DCHS) for his
actions related to the National Day of Silence last month. In a letter to
Washington County School System officials, ACLU-TN demands an apology to
Curtis Walsh, the suspended student, and a promise to refrain from
punishing future participants in similar actions. DCHS is a public high
school located in the southern part of Washington County in Northeast
Tennessee. It serves grades nine through 12 with a population of 1475
students. The Day of Silence is an annual event held to bring attention to anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools. Students and teachers nationwide will observe the day in silence to echo the silence that LGBT and ally students face everyday. In it's 11th year, the Day of Silence is one of the largest student-led actions in the country. Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence® has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. From the first-ever Day of Silence® at the University of Virginia in 1996, to the organizing efforts in over 1,900 middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the country in 2002, its textured history reflects its diversity in both numbers and reach. – from the Day of Silence Web site
DCHS Principal David Henry Marable denies receiving the ACLU’s letter. “I have received no letter from the ACLU. That boy was not suspended. You can check his disciplinary record and will see that he was not suspended,” asserts Marable. He does admit that Walsh was sent home for three days, the normal length of time a student must stay home following a suspension from most schools in East Tennessee. “Schools don't get to take away students' right to
free speech just because they fear that others might respond badly to that
speech," said Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director of the ACLU of Tennessee.
"The school's proper response when students react disruptively to
constitutionally-protected speech is to punish the students who are
disruptive, not to violate the rights of students who are exercising their
free speech rights." “While we encourage participants to work with their
teachers and administrators to make the day as successful as possible,
students are well within their rights to participate in the Day of
Silence,” states Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Founder
and Executive Director Kevin Jennings The following statistics come from the GLSEN Web site. Homophobic Remarks/ Verbal Harassment:
Within this vulnerable population, transgender students are even more at risk. Students that identify as transgender are 30% more likely to report physical harassment (being shoved, pushed, etc.) than lesbian, gay and bisexual students. The annual observance has blossomed since its inception in 1996, spreading across the country as students speak out against violence. Officials from the Washington County School System were not available for comment at the time this article went to press. The letter faxed and mailed to DCHS from ACLU-TN can be viewed here: www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/29685lgl20070514.html.
|
Register for Equality Herald email updates
|
|
|
|
|||
|
HOME-NEWS-VIEWS-FEATURES-PHOTOS-WEATHER-LETTERS-SPIRITUALITY-SPORTS-CLASSIFIEDS-ADVERTISING-LINKS-ABOUT US-CONTACT Copyright 2006-2007 Equality Herald All rights reserved |
|||
