Update: Monday, November 17, 2014

Winfield High School abruptly reversed course on Monday, and now has a Gay-Straight Alliance, according to a district spokesperson. Details here →

WINFIELD, W.Va. — A West Virginia high school will not allow the formation of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) on campus because no teachers are interested in sponsoring it, and because the principal said it would create opportunities for bullying.

The Charleston Gazette reports that Winfield High School Principal Bruce McGrew said that, while there was student interest in such a group, no teachers were interested in sponsoring such a group.

When asked if he would allow an LGBT student support club at the school if a teacher did offer to chaperone, McGrew said he would “rather not answer that.”

McGrew said he believes the creation of such a group would allow more opportunities for students to bully other students.

“If you bring attention to that sort of thing, it’s going to create bullying,” McGrew said. “It would bring more problems to the issue of bullying and so forth if it were to occur. Our job is to protect all kids from that.”

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The school hosts a Christian Teens club, a Fuel Bible club, a Students Against Drunk Driving club and several others, according to the school’s website.

Putnam County Schools Superintendent Chuck Hatfield said the club was not being discriminated against and that, if there is a faculty sponsor available, “we certainly would entertain that idea, as we do with any other club.”

But he also said he trusts McGrew’s assessment that allowing a Gay-Straight Alliance to form would perpetuate bullying.