School Tried to Ban Lesbians From Walking Together: Was It Discrimination?
SodaHead Living
2011/02/03 21:21:39
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Two lesbian high school students were elected to their school's "royalty court" -- but they almost weren't allowed to walk into the ceremony together.
Hundreds of classmates cheered on Monday as Minnesota teens Sarah Lindstrom and Desiree Shelton entered the Snow Days Pep Fest at Champlin Park High School, wearing matching black suits with pink ties and walking hand in hand, The Associated Press reports.
But the girls had to fight for their right to enter together. Students voted onto the royalty court traditionally enter in boy-girl pairs, according to the AP. After Lindstrom and Shelton, both 18, were elected, school officials last week announced a change in procedure: court members would walk in individually or with a parent or favorite teacher.
And what sparked this sudden "change in procedure"? School officials said they just wanted to prevent the students from being teased. But on Friday, two human rights groups sued on their behalf.
On Saturday, in federally mediated talks, the two sides agreed that members of the royalty court would be escorted by anyone meaningful to them, regardless of gender or age.
"They had a lot of courage," Sarah's mother, Shannon Lindstrom, told the AP. "Look how far we've come."
Champlin Park is part of the Anoka-Hennepin school district, which has been criticized for its policy of "neutrality" in classroom discussions of homosexuality, especially after one gay student committed suicide last year.
Hundreds of classmates cheered on Monday as Minnesota teens Sarah Lindstrom and Desiree Shelton entered the Snow Days Pep Fest at Champlin Park High School, wearing matching black suits with pink ties and walking hand in hand, The Associated Press reports.
But the girls had to fight for their right to enter together. Students voted onto the royalty court traditionally enter in boy-girl pairs, according to the AP. After Lindstrom and Shelton, both 18, were elected, school officials last week announced a change in procedure: court members would walk in individually or with a parent or favorite teacher.
And what sparked this sudden "change in procedure"? School officials said they just wanted to prevent the students from being teased. But on Friday, two human rights groups sued on their behalf.
On Saturday, in federally mediated talks, the two sides agreed that members of the royalty court would be escorted by anyone meaningful to them, regardless of gender or age.
"They had a lot of courage," Sarah's mother, Shannon Lindstrom, told the AP. "Look how far we've come."
Champlin Park is part of the Anoka-Hennepin school district, which has been criticized for its policy of "neutrality" in classroom discussions of homosexuality, especially after one gay student committed suicide last year.
Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/sarah-lin...
Top Opinion
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הרב ריאן Rabbi Ryan 2011/02/03 23:30:07Yes, it was discrimination
+20Wether the school tried to "protect" them from being teased or not, they disciminated against them by doing so... not much else to say here as the situation was cleared up. I support Gay/ Lesbian rights. They should have the right to get married if they wish to do so!
I think the school was trying to balance tradition and the possible legal ramifications of doing otherwise that the school was looking for the least problematic solution in their estimation, not necessarily the most fair.
In the context of current school laws and values, yes, I believe they were discriminated against.
:D