FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6, 1999

GLAD Files Suit on Behalf of Manchester, New Hampshire Student

Alleging Violation of Federal Equal Access

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (“GLAD”) filed suit in federal District
Court against Manchester School District on behalf of several Manchester High School
West students who tried to start a Gay Straight Alliance (“GSA”) at their school but were
denied the opportunity to do so by their Principal, Robert A. Baines.
According to GLAD attorney Jennifer Levi, who along with Manchester attorney
Marlene Lein filed the complaint, “This is a clear-cut violation of federal law. As long as
there are any noncurricular clubs at a high school, which is not in dispute in this case, no
student group may be treated differently based on the content of speech at proposed
meetings. The federal Equal Access Act prohibits any public secondary school from
denying equal access or discriminating against any students who wish to conduct a
meeting at that school, which is exactly what Principal Baines has done in this case.”
According to GLAD’s complaint, several students first sought school recognition
of the proposed GSA in April, 1999, following school instructions by filing a proposal
with the assistant principal, Richard Donegan. In a meeting with several school
administrators, the students were told that they could not obtain school recognition and,
further, were instructed that they would have to seek School Board approval to go
forward with the proposal. According to the students, no other student group has ever
had to obtain School Board approval to form a noncurricular club.
Michaela Wood, a West High graduating senior who, along with two other
unnamed students is a Plaintiff in the suit, said, “This sends a terrible message to kids. At
the same time that we are trying to form a group to provide support and education for
tolerance and diversity at West High, the school is sending a message of divisiveness and
unequal treatment. The school’s response to our proposal is just one example of why we
need this GSA.”
Celebrating its 20th anniversary year, GLAD is New England’s leading legal
organization conducting impact litigation and education to secure equal justice under law
for gay, lesbian and bisexual people and people with mv and AIDS.