In Louisiana: A Lesbian Student fought for the right to Wear a Tux to Prom

Claudetteia Love is an honor student in high school and a proud lesbian. And like most students, she was looking forward to the prom. But Principal Taylor wouldn't let go because she wants to wear a tux.

Devastated, Claudetteia felt that all of her hard work was for nothing. However, there was help on the way. The ACLU and National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) got involved, sending a letter to the Louisiana School Superintendents.

In no time, Principal Taylor and two members of the Monroe County Board of Education changed their minds:

“We are pleased to hear that Principal Taylor and the Monroe City School Board corrected this wrong before any serious harm was done. Forbidding girls from wearing a tuxedo to the prom would have served no purpose other than to reinforce the worst sorts of harmful stereotypes and censor a core part of Claudetteia’s identity,” said NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell. “The school is doing the right thing by supporting its students and teaching them the value of respect and acceptance of one another’s differences.”

Jackson, who is fully supportive of Claudetteia’s sexual orientation and her decision to wear a tuxedo, stated: “I am very happy that the school reversed its position in time for Claudetteia and her friends to attend the prom together. Also, I am proud of Claudetteia for standing up for her right to wear a tuxedo to prom and for being true to herself. She should not have to miss out on an important milestone for all high school students because of what others might say or do.”

“I am thankful that my school is allowing me to be who I am and attend my senior prom in tuxedo. Now that I can go in my tuxedo, I am looking forward to celebrating the end of my senior year with my friends and classmates at the prom, like any other student,” said Love. “The outpouring of support has been incredible and inspiring; it is a source of strength that I will keep with me as I move on the next phase of my education and life beyond high school.”

Now, she can wear anything she wants to.

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In Florida: Meet Leo Washington, an Openly Gay High School Football Player

In Alabama: White Supremacist Teen plotted to Kill Students, Particularly Black kids

As the day ends, here is some sad news. 17 year-old Derek Shrout plotted to kill at least 6 six students and a teacher at his High School.

Here's more

According to WSFA, Shrout admitted to being a dedicated white supremacist and he may have also been a member of an organized Neo-Nazi group. Five of the six students that were named in his notebook were African-American.

“He has a lot of pent up anger towards blacks,” added the police chief. 

WTVM interviewed fellow classmates who felt that the suspect’s behavior was different prior to his arrest. 

“He was confident, well-rounded, but as time went by, he was doing the whole white power thing,” said senior class president, David Kelly, in an interview with WTVM. “In the hallway, at breakfast, at the lunch tables, after school where we have our bus parking lot, he’d have his big old group of friends and they’d go around doing the whole white power crazy stuff.” 

Kelly also mentioned that Shrout would frequently give Nazi salutes to people at school.

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In Alabama: High School students held an Anti-Gay Football Banner

In today's High School Hi-Jinx, Spanish Fort High School students lost their goddamned minds. During a national televised game, students held a sign that read:
Purple? Man, that's GAY. Purple is their rival's color.

The story is now viral, check it out

My Class Reunion Recap

Classmates: Davida, Me and Trese in our old hangout spot from HS

 Thanks to FB, I know we have Dr.s, lawyers, brokers, scientists, teachers, nurses, artists, seamstresses, farmers, bankers, mothers, soldiers and the list goes on....not bad for a class of around 150 that the administration said would never amount to anything and did everything it could along the way to remind us. Looks like we are having the last laugh. I am feeling a night filled with cheap beer and some Round Up. - Amanda Emmons Persons, Class of '92

My Class Reunion was a blast! I really enjoyed the craziness, the madness, the drunkenness (not me) of the entire weekend.

Let me break in down in bullet point style:

• Our class was always full of life.
• Towback was the theme for our reunion.
• The real hot guys wasn't able to make it this reunion.
• Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake, is forever stuck in my head.
• Everyone was happy to see each other.
• Most folks stayed in the surrounding states, my friend Davida and I were the only ones that live way out. I traveled the furthest. 
• Not to boost my ego, but I was one of highly anticipated classmates. I was kinda uncomfortable with the attention, I didn't like talking about myself too much (yes, this is true, bitches)
• The women looked great.
• The guys actually brought moonshine to our reunion.
• It felt good to be missed by old friends.
• I had more alcohol this weekend than I normally have all year.
• Many of us are successful in many different ways.
• Several classmates are going through divorce.
• There are 3 of us who are gay and 1 known bisexual.

Off to my Hometown

I'm in route for my 20th year High School reunion in Union City, Tn. Y'all wish me luck spending 5 days in the 'warmth' of Tennessee.  Not the most gay-friendly place, but we will see they have grown.

In Illinois: A Hate Group wants Parents to Pull Kids from Classrooms with LGBT-Supportive Teachers

A hate group called the Illinois Family Institute are asking parents to pull their kids out of a class with gay teachers or LGBT supportive teachers.

I guess they are afraid that the gayness will possess their children.

Here's more:

In a document titled "Challenge Teachers, Not Books," the group encourages parents to "object to teachers rather than texts," offering suggestions for parents who are "fed up with the subtle and not so subtle messages that activist teachers of a liberal bent work into their classroom teaching through their classroom comments, curricular materials... and even their desks and classroom displays." From the document:

If parents have children who have already gone through the school or have already completed a year or more, they should ask those children and/or their friends or friends' parents which teachers are known for bringing their politics into the classroom or who displays a "Safe Space" sticker, the inverted pink triangle, the rainbow flag, or the lower case Greek letter "lambda" on their desk, classroom door, or wall. Students usually know who the liberal, activist teachers are. Liberal teachers develop reputations, often as the "cool" teachers.

Then parents should call or email the appropriate department chair and/or their child's counselor, and politely insist on a schedule change, explaining that they will not permit their child to be in the classroom or under the tutelage of any teacher who has made their liberal politics known in school.

Silly fools. When these kids go to college, they exposed to so much more. This is a wasted effort and I hope the school districts block this mess out.

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A Brooklyn Teen was left Blind in One Eye after an Anti-Gay Attack

At Roy H. Mann Junior High School in Bergen Beach, 14-year-old Kardin Ulysse was beaten by bullies so bad that he is blind in one eye.

Kardin has had two surgeries on his right eye since the beating in the school's cafeteria. Now, his parents are suing the city.

NY Daily News has more on the story:

Kardin, an eighth-grader, was set upon by a pair of seventh-graders who were calling him a “f-----g f----t,” a “p----,” a “transvestite” and “gay,” according to a Department of Education occurrence report.

While one schoolmate pinned the victim’s arms, the other rained punches on Kardin’s face, head and neck.

Kardin broke away and the fight continued in the cafeteria until school safety officers and school aides finally intervened.

The boy’s family has retained lawyer Sanford Rubenstein, who will file a notice Tuesday to sue the city for $16 million for failing to properly supervise the students.

Rubenstein also called for the authorities to investigate whether the attack is a hate crime and upgrade the criminal charges to felonies. Because they’re minors, the two alleged bullies were charged with misdemeanors in Family Court.


The city’s Corporation Counsel did not immediately return a call for comment.

Those bullies need some serious discipline and this school needs to be investigated. A school should not be a war zone.

In Maryland: A Student is Suspended for dressing in Drag - VIDEO

Mittens the Bully

The news about Mitt Romney being a bully has hit all over the media. Washington Post had the story first but waited to release the tale. Now, the cat is out of the bag.

 Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it. “He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” an incensed Romney told Matthew Friedemann, his close friend in the Stevens Hall dorm, according to Friedemann’s recollection. 

Mitt, the teenaged son of Michigan Gov. George Romney, kept complaining about Lauber’s look, Friedemann recalled. A few days later, Friedemann entered Stevens Hall off the school’s collegiate quad to find Romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school posse shouting about their plan to cut Lauber’s hair. Friedemann followed them to a nearby room where they came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. 

As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors.

But that's not all to the story. Rachel Maddow went deeper into the story

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Not cute, Mitt

In California: A Teen was kicked out of a Pageant for supporting Gay Marriage

Later on, the Assistant Principal apologized to Kearian

Students protest in Support of Dorothy "Gays are going to Hell" Bond

A day after Dorothy "Gays are going to Hell" Bond resigned as Principal of Haywood High School, about 300 students held a peaceful protest in their cafeteria in her support.

In her support? Really? Yes, some of the students agreed with some of her views. But I have to wonder why would they think Dorothy was the hero? She was wrong, as a person and administrator.

Dorothy could have harmed some of those students with her foolishness. I can't believe they thought she was going the right thing.

However, it is Tennessee.

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In Utah: Abstinence-Only Sex Ed Bill Passes Senate, prohibit discussions on Homosexuality - WATCH

Mess


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17-year-old Asante Cotman was Suspended for wearing High Heels to School

This is another case of fashion hitting a bump with school rules. In Charles City County, Va, Asante was suspended for wear high heels to school.

The school claims he was distracting other students. Please, high heels is nothing compared to other things kids wear.

Anywho, here's a clip. Take a bit to load up


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In Tennessee: Principal tells students "if you're gay you're going to hell"

Mess!

Principal Dorothy Bond needs to be held accountable for her actions!

Student Charged for Beating Gay Student in Ohio

Finally, a student is charged for beating Zachary Huston, the gay student who was assaulted at school.

Here's the scoop:

Unioto High School student Levi Sever will appear later in juvenile court to answer to the charge filed by the office of Prosecutor Matthew Schmidt following an investigation by the sheriff's office. Schmidt was not available for comment this morning.

Sever is accused of assaulting 15-year-old Zachary Huston at the high school on Oct. 17, with the victim's mother contending he was targeted because he is gay. The case has captured national attention.

“A lot of people feel the outrage but don’t always know how to make their voices heard,” said Bret Thompson, a Columbus man leading an online petition drive in the wake of the attack.

That petition has over 6,000 supporters, hoping to change the anti-bullying law to include LGBT people.

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VIDEO: Lesbian Student Crowned Homecoming King

Officials are investigating the Ohio High School Gay Bashing

Yesterday, we were all appalled over the gay bashing at the Unioto High School in Ohio. The video found its way on Facebook and later, everywhere.

Now, investigators are looking into possible charges:

While the sheriff's office continues to investigate the motive, Ross County Prosecutor Matt Schmidt said his office is evaluating whether to file an assault or felonious assault charge.
"What people are failing to understand is there isn't an Ohio law to enhance it (if the assault was motivated by the victim's sexuality)," Schmidt said.

There is a federal hate crime law, he added, but the federal district attorney would have to file the charge, and Collins could approach him about it. He also said he has not heard from Collins or her son, but certainly is willing to listen to them if they want to talk with him. Schmidt anticipates filing the charge from his office today.

The story claims that the attacker has a mental issue:

According to the initial report obtained Thursday by the Gazette, the two boys were on their way to a third-period class when they "bumped shoulders." The 15-year-old suspect told deputies he has a mental illness, that he "just zoned out," and didn't know why he punched Collins' son, according to the report.

Collins' son sustained a black eye, a knot behind his ear, a chipped tooth and a possible concussion, Collins said.

I'm not sure about that part. I hope the investigators look into the boy's mental issues. So, there will be more to come on this story.

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WATCH: A Horrible attack on a Gay Student at School

This attack took place at Union-Scioto High School in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Here's more info:

In the clip, which was filmed on a cell phone and then posted to Facebook, the attacker, who has not been named, can be seen waiting for the gay student, who wishes to remain anonymous, in a classroom.


Once the student arrives, the bully begins severely beating "the holy living crap out of him," says his mother.


Even though the boy tried to get away and asked "Why are you doing this?" the attack continued.


WSYX reports the student received a possible concussion and a chipped tooth.


The student also says that the perpetrator wrote "Check out the definition of a faggot" on his Facebook page two days earlier.


The attacker received three days suspension, but the mother of the gay student says that is not good enough and she is going to file charges.


She added, "For all those people that have hate in their hearts, they need to let it go because people are going to be who they are".

This is unacceptable! The student should be arrested and the school needs to act on the safety of gay students. It's such a shame this happening in the schools and no one jumped in to stop this! I have to ask... Is it getting better?

I hate to say this but, "no".

More to come on this tragedy.

MSNBC's Thomas Roberts on The Gay Kiss that caused a Student Walk-Out

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