Brandon students: Gay-straight alliance jeopardized by school board

A group of Brandon High School students met at a coffee shop after school Thursday to support one another and discuss the Rankin County School Board's decision to change its policy in an attempt to prevent students from forming gay-straight alliances in their schools.

Sophomore Hunter Shannon and junior Arieana Myers were among the group of about 12 students who attended the meeting. Both Shannon and Myers filed proposals in December to form a gay-straight alliance — a student-led organization aimed at fighting anti-gay bullying and harassment — at Brandon High School.

The last Shannon and Myers both heard about their proposals was that school administrators were on board with the formation of the club. Then, on Wednesday, they read media reports that Rankin County schools Superintendent Lynn Weathersby told board members he had talked with counsel about how to prevent what he referred to as "gay clubs" from forming on campus.

Weathersby said he was told the best way to prevent organizations the district "doesn't want" would be to require students who wish to join any club to obtain parental consent.

The school board then voted to require parents to sign a consent form before their children are allowed to join any school club. Although Weathersby introduced the policy change as a way to prevent "gay clubs" from forming, he said after the meeting he had no knowledge of any such club attempting to form at any school in the district and that the change was not directed at any particular type of club.

The Brandon students who met after school Thursday said the board's actions were discouraging and acknowledged the new rule likely would discourage some students from joining a GSA.

"It's people like that (Weathersby) that are the reason we need it," Shannon said when asked how he felt when he heard about the school board's conversation and decision.

He said the problem is the misunderstanding of what a GSA is and does, even among administrators like Weathersby and other adults.

"I was really just disappointed," freshman Whit Lee said. " … Given I know so many people who would definitely support this and having adults who didn't was kind of devastating."

Senior Lucas Bonham, who identifies as transgender, said he wishes there had been a GSA during his earlier years at the school when he came out.

"There's been times I didn't have anyone, and my family was bad with it at first. My family's awesome now," he said. "But students need this because it's a struggle trying to discover who you are and to think you're completely abnormal."

After initial reports of the school board adopting the policy change surfaced, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi voiced their concerns, each noting that federal law prohibits any school that receives federal funds from banning students from conducting a meeting in a limited, open forum on the basis of religious, political or philosophical speech.

A limited, open forum is defined as a time when a school "grants an offering or opportunity for one or more noncurriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during the noninstructional time."

In a letter to school district officials, the ACLU pointed to several rulings by federal judges prohibiting school districts from banning the formation of gay-straight alliances.

Contacted Thursday, Rankin County School District spokeswoman Robin Haney said the district has been advised to make no further comment until it has reviewed and responded to the letter from the ACLU. But she did say the district plans to stand behind its policy.

"The policy does nothing more than require a parent's signature and parental permission for minor students to enroll in any club or extracurricular activity," Haney said in the e-mailed statement, noting the policy will be "applied equally to all clubs and students."

Charles Irvin, legal director for ACLU Mississippi, said the ACLU will be monitoring the district's implementation of the policy to ensure it is being enforced for all clubs.

To contact Kate Royals, call (601) 360-4619 or email kroyals@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @KRRoyals on Twitter.