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Schools

Task force on school clubs skirts its big issue

By S.I. ROSENBAUM
Published January 12, 2006

SEFFNER - On its face, Wednesday's first meeting of a new school district task force on school clubs was sedate and civil.

But a potentially divisive issue - homosexuality and its place in the schools - kept breaking the surface.

The task force - made up of educators, students, parents and community members - was formed after parents at Newsome High School protested a club forming there.

Newsome students say the Gay-Straight Alliance will promote tolerance of people of all sexual orientations.

But a group of parents told superintendent MaryEllen Elia they were concerned the club would promote sexual activity, and that it was a front for a national political movement to legitimize homosexuality.

In response, Elia formed a task force to study the place of all academic and nonacademic clubs.

The task force started its meeting Wednesday with more mundane concerns, like setting districtwide guidelines for how clubs are formed, when they can meet, and what content and activities they can offer.

The only sharp exchange came an hour into the meeting when Newsome parent Allan Trovillion aired concerns about gay-straight clubs.

Noting that political advertising is banned in schools, Trovillion said such clubs "are just opportunities for political organizations to advertise."

He said the national Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network used gay-straight clubs to disseminate political materials in schools.

Michael Freincle, a Brandon High School student who founded that school's Gay-Straight Alliance, said that GLSEN is a resource for such clubs, but is not affiliated with them. "I think that's a misconception," he said.

"No, I don't have a misconception," Trovillion retorted. He added that the GLSEN Web site is blocked from school computers because its content is "inappropriate."

"I think it's your opinion that's inappropriate," said task force member Philip C. Dobson.

Task force member Rick Weinberg broke in.

The task force was faced with two separate but intertwined tasks, he said.

First, it had to clarify and standardize the district's policies regarding school clubs.

But second, he said, the task force also had to address "some very real concerns" about the place of controversial clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance.

The trick, he said, would be to complete both tasks without letting one overwhelm the other.

The meeting lasted 31/2 hours The group formed subcommittees to look into categories and applications of clubs. The next meeting will be on Feb. 8 at 8 a.m. at Armwood High School.

S.I. Rosenbaum can be reached at 661-2442 or srosenbaum@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 12, 2006, 01:21:24]