FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6, 1999

GLAD Files Suit on Behalf of Manchester, New Hampshire Students

Alleging Violation of Federal Equal Access Act

(Manchester, NH) 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 HIV and AIDS.