Even though a disclaimer in The Eleight states that products it advertises aren't endorsed by the school or district, Principal James Russell refused to allow the ad to run. Rath pressed the issue, got herself an ACLU lawyer and took it to the school board, where the principal's decision was overturned. The incident received coverage in both Metro and Seventeen magazine. Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill also had problems after a similar ad was printed on ASB student body cards. Parents were upset and petitioned to have the cards recalled.
Estimates vary on the numbers of homosexual teens.
Trudy Gross, youth coordinator for the Billy DeFrank Center, estimates that 10 percent of the population is homosexual, according to the oft-cited 1948 Kinsey report, which translates into more than 20,000 gay and lesbian teenagers in the Santa Clara County school system. More-recent statistics showing homosexual preferences to be closer to 5 percent would mean there are still 10,000 gay youth in the county. Gross says more than 700 kids came through their facilities last year. The students are initially hesitant, but after some discussion agree to let him sit in. As the meeting gets under way, it becomes clear that some feel the group should be politically active.