With a ruling expected today that may allow a homosexual tolerance club to meet on an Orange County high school campus and another already in place allowing teachers to openly declare their homosexuality, pro-family activists say parents' rights rapidly are being eroded. The Gay-Straight Alliance of El Modena High School was denied its application for club status by the school board in December, prompting sophomore Anthony Colin, junior Heather Zetin and other members of the homosexual tolerance group to sue the Orange County Unified School District, saying their first amendment rights had been violated. Students are seeking an injunction that would allow the Gay-Straight Alliance to meet on campus while their case against the district is pending.
Testimony is scheduled to end with a ruling to follow on that motion today.
The students' motion argues that by denying the group club status, the school board is violating their rights under the federal Equal Access Act, which prohibits schools from discriminating against a student-initiated club because of the political, philosophical, religious or other viewpoints expressed at club meetings. The high school and the school board need training on homosexual issues. The students decided to form a Gay-Straight Alliance Club to encourage understanding, safety and unity. Though clubs devoted to educating students on the homosexual lifestyle have created controversy in California, a ruling by the state Labor Commissioner could have far greater impact. Public school teachers now have the right to openly discuss their homosexual lifestyle as it pertains to classroom instruction.