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GSA club status.
Topic Started: May 20 2008, 12:40 AM (198 Views)
Goda
Topic Starter
I'm not attacking the GSA, but I'm not exactly sure why they have become an official school club. I get the feeling that the administration approved it to avoid lawsuits. It is not really like any other club, so does it qualify to be sponsored by the school? If this were a less controversy ridden group, but still different than all other clubs, would it be approved?
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Szekely
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I don't know if you were paying attention or not during the Day of Silence, but a club that promotes tolerance and diversity is exactly what BHS needs. The comment about lawsuits is also inappropriate and does not add anything to the debate.
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Goda
Topic Starter
Just because its about tolerance and diversity, why does it make a legitimate school sponsored club? I'm not attacking it, or its existance, but I'm questioning its status as a club.

Side note:
Why does diversity and tolerance have to be represented by a group promoting homosexuality? Can't it be represented by a group promoting tolerance and diversity of all people, without focus on individual groups?

And the lawsuit comment was not at all inappropriate considering the modern society. Lawsuits are a serious problem for all institutions and individuals. People have to always be careful of insulting, offending, and "violating the rights of" others. Eye for an eye is practiced way too much these days.
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d0nk3y
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current status: lurking more
In 1999, the Orange County, California school board voted unanimously to prohibit the formation of a GSA at El Modena High School. The students sued the school board, claiming that their rights under the First Amendment and the 1984 Equal Access Act had been violated. In the first-ever ruling of its kind, Judge David O. Carter of the United States District Court for the Central District of California issued a preliminary injunction ordering the school to allow the GSA to meet.



I'll go for a real comment later, when I don't have 7 pictures to draw and color :(
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Szekely
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Some people seem to feel that since the Bible does not like homosexuals, they and their culture should be limited. If this was the feeling towards all groups (ie, other religions like Hinduism and Islam) their would be mass hatred between the groups and most likely, knowing humans, warfare (oh wait...). I don't believe a person would so choose to live by discrimination, which is what is happening, albeit there are improvements in this regard, for which I am most thankful. Like it or not, homosexuals are not going away. They have been present throughout time, and are not some new phenomenon. And while they are here, we should support them when they are discriminated against, which they are being and have been.

Also Johnson:

http://www.gsanetwork.org/about/index.html
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Goda
Topic Starter
So lawsuits are relevant. Thank you for the information Graham. If that were a Wisconsin ruling, the situation would be quite settled. But until our school distract, or any other in Wisconsin gets sued(or it goes to federal court), its still a choice of the Board.

I've looked into Board Policy. The best I can find is a list of clubs(many don't exist anymore) that is very specific. I don't see anything on adding new clubs. Might be High School specific policy? I have little knowledge on how the administration works.

Please leave the moral debate over homosexuality out of this thread. I'm desirous to discuss the legitimacy of this club in our school.
Edited by Goda, May 20 2008, 02:55 AM.
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Szekely
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Ping pong club anyone? Graham is trying to set one up, how is that a "legitimate" club?
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Goda
Topic Starter
Interrmural(spelling?) sports are mentioned numerous times in board policy. ping pong can be considered such.
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jesusfreak574

I find it ironic that their official position is to promote tolerance by not tolerating opposing viewpoints.
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d0nk3y
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Well I'll disagree with you there, but I think in terms of constitutional law, you could potentially form a counter club...
Public schools are a form of traditional nonpublic forums and as such, speech may be limited by content (gay rights issue) but not viewpoint (pro or anti). Further, the manner (a club) has been defined as acceptable.


That's like saying that Poland should have given itself to Germany because to fight back would be war, not peace like they wanted. (Godwin's law already?) It's difficult to employ tolerance and change simultaneously...
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