Charming
I really don't know what to say about this, except to direct your attention to the emphasized quote, which says a great deal about our current cultural climate.
Lesbian's picture in tux banned from school yearbookGREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — County school officials are backing a principal's decision to bar a picture of a lesbian student dressed in a tuxedo from the high school yearbook.
Sam Ward, principal of Fleming Island High School, said he pulled the senior class picture because Kelli Davis was wearing boy's clothes. His decision was debated Thursday at a Clay County school board meeting that drew 200 people, but the board took no action, and Superintendent David Owens said the decision will stand.
Most of the 24 people who spoke at the meeting supported Kelli Davis.
"This is not to be treated as a gay rights issue," said her mother, Cindi Davis. "Rather it's a human rights issue."
Others applauded Ward's decision, including Karen Gordon, who said, "When uniformity is compromised, then authority no longer holds."
Officials at the northeastern Florida school have said the picture was pulled from the yearbook because Davis did not follow the rules on dress. School board attorney Bruce Bickner said there is no written dress code for senior pictures, but principals have the authority to set standards.
The student editor of the yearbook, Keri Sewell, was fired after refusing her adviser's order to take the picture out.
heather, on Saturday, March 5, 2005 at 8:35 AM:
I applaud Keri Sewell - the student editor. Good for her!
Robert Jahrling, on Sunday, March 6, 2005 at 12:23 PM:
Here's an idea for an action item...get as many high schools as you possibly can to publish this girl's picture in their yearbooks and comp her a copy of the book. I otherwise have nothing coherent to say about this item except AAAAAGGGGHHHHHH.
Laura Zeigen, on Monday, March 7, 2005 at 6:49 AM:
Joan of Arc was ostensibly finally brought up on charges by the English, not for defying them in battle, but for wearing men's clothing. I cannot believe that we are still fighting this particular, stupid battle so many centuries later...
Kari Sewell, on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 at 10:57 AM:
I just wanted to say thank you for the support-my name is Kari Sewell, and I'm that editor you speak of.
kaecee, on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 1:38 PM:
Twenty years ago in the early 80's, as a lampoon on this awful high school fertility ritual or whatever the hell it is, I ran for homecoming queen in a tuxedo and top hat. (I didn't win, natch.) This set my small No.Cal town all astir. My grandparents begged me not to go through with the awards ceremony because their friends would think I was a lesbian. To their credit, the school allowed it.