Memphis City Schools Backs Principal Who Outed Gay Students

On Wednesday I posted about principal Daphne Beasley of Hollis F. Price Middle College High School in South Memphis, who outed two gay students who were in a relationship to their parents and to other students at the school via a publicly posted list of students who were involved romantically.

As a result of Beasley's actions, the gay students have been the target of verbal harassment and even discrimination from teachers. The ACLU sent a letter to Memphis City Schools, demanding they reprimand Beasley, and compensate and apologize to the two students whom Beasley outed. The ACLU says Beasley violated the students' constitutional rights to equal protection, freedom of expression and association, due process and privacy.

Well, Memphis City Schools responded today via a statement, and they claim that Beasley did nothing wrong and that what she did helped to facilitate "a safe, nurturing and disciplined learning climate." The schools claim that Beasley "did not list any information other than students’ names on her personal call list, and she certainly did not specify the sexual orientation of any student. Additionally, the list was never posted publicly anywhere at the school."

Well, according to the ACLU, "Beasley hung the list up on the wall of her office, in plain view of teachers and other students."

Read the statement from Memphis City Schools, AFTER THE JUMP...

***MEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS STATEMENT in response to outing of gay students***

“Memphis City Schools is committed to providing its students with the best possible learning environment. Hollis F. Price Middle College is an accelerated high school, which is located on the historically black LeMoyne-Owen College campus. Eligible students may enroll in college classes in pursuit of completing the first two years of college while attending this high school.

Because we have high school students on a college campus, we have to carefully monitor the activities of our students. We are at all times proactive in assuring that our students are provided a safe, nurturing and disciplined learning climate. Unfortunately, in fall 2007, we received numerous complaints from LeMoyne-Owen College faculty and staff that some of our student couples were involved in explicit sexual behavior in public view on the college campus.

In light of this information from LeMoyne-Owen faculty and staff, the principal of Hollis F. Price made several general announcements to the student body that this behavior would not be tolerated. Regrettably, the improper behavior continued. Therefore, the principal felt it appropriate to notify the parents of those children she knew to be involved romantically. This was done in an effort to gain the support of the parents in reinforcing the message that such behavior is in violation of Memphis City Schools’ Student Code of Conduct. The principal did not list any information other than students’ names on her personal call list, and she certainly did not specify the sexual orientation of any student. Additionally, the list was never posted publicly anywhere at the school.

It is the position of Memphis City Schools that the principal did act in an appropriate manner in order to correct a serious issue at the school and that Memphis City Schools has not subjected either of these students to discriminatory treatment.

In the coming days, we will submit a formal response to the ACLU. We look forward to working with them to amicably resolve this matter.”

***END OF STATEMENT***

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ACLU Slams Tennessee Principal for Outing Gay Students

The ACLU has sent a letter to Memphis City Schools, demanding the school system implement new policies, reprimand principal Daphne Beasley of Hollis F. Price Middle College High School in South Memphis, and compensate and apologize to two students whom Beasley outed in a public posted list which the ACLU says violated the students' constitutional rights to equal protection, freedom of expression and association, due process and privacy.

ABC24 Memphis reports:

"The ACLU says in September 2007, Beasley asked her staff to give her the names of students who were couples, heterosexual and homosexual, because she wanted to keep an eye on them to cut down on public displays of affection. She's accused of publicly posting the names of those students, including two boys, Andrew and Nicholas, who had just started dating. The ACLU says that in doing so, Beasley revealed their relationship to other students, teachers and even their parents."

As a result of Beasley's actions, the gay students have been the target of verbal harassment and even discrimination from teachers:

"One of the young men, Nicholas, an 11th grader who just made the Dean's List, spoke with Eyewitness News Everywhere. 'It was actually frightening,' he says, 'to see a list with my name on it where not just other teachers could see but students as well.' Nicholas says his teachers and other students treat him differently as a result of Principal Beasley's decision and that he and Andrew have both had to deal with verbal assaults. Nicholas was also not allowed to go on a trip to New Orleans to help rebuild homes because, as one of his teacher's explained, he would 'embarrass' the school by engaging in gay affection. 'I really feel that my personal privacy was invaded,' Nicholas says. 'I mean, Principal Beasley called my mother and outed me to my mother!'"

Said Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director at the ACLU of Tennessee: "The principal's outing of these two students to their families, classmates, and teachers is unacceptable. Its only purpose was to intimidate not only these students but all gay students at Hollis Price. Educators should be focused on educating their students and not on harassing them because of their sexual orientation or the people with whom they associate."

Memphis Principal Accused of "Outing" Gay Students [eyewitness news]
ACLU Takes On High School Principal For Discriminating Against Male Couple [aclu]
Demand Letter [aclu]

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UK Offers Gay Syrian £46 to Get Lost, Go Home

The UK Border Agency has reportedly offered a gay teen Syrian seeking asylum in Scotland less than $100 (£46) to get him to accept deportation and return to Syria, the Scotsman reports:

"Jojo Jako Yakob, 19, fled his homeland two years ago after being arrested, shot and beaten before being tortured in a Syrian jail when he was caught distributing anti-government leaflets. Once prison guards discovered that Yakob, a Christian member of the repressed Kurdish minority in the Arab state, was homosexual, he suffered horrific beatings and was assaulted so badly that he slipped into a coma. He fled to Scotland but his application seeking asylum was rejected and the Home Office has ordered his return to Syria, where homosexuality has been banned. Last night, 'Save Jojo' campaigners criticised the UK Border Agency for sending Yakob, who is currently being detained at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk, a 'weekly' letter, asking his permission to be 'repatriated' back to Syria. A spokesman for the campaign said the agency has offered Jojo £46 'in cash' on leaving the United Kingdom 'to assist you in reintegrating into your home country. This could be used for example to set up a business, further your education or assist with housing'. Leading gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell labelled the UK Border Agency as 'immoral' in its attempt to get Jojo into accepting deportation. He said: 'This insulting offer shows the scurrilous, immoral nature of the UK Border Agency. The sum of £46 would barely pay one week's rent, never mind help Jojo start a new life. The idea that he should risk his life and go back to Syria for £46 is an absolute disgrace. It shows the depth to which the Labour Government is sinking in its desperate bid to pander to racist and xenophobic opinion.'"

Yakob's case is similar to that of Iranian teen Mehdi Kazemi, who was granted a temporary reprieve from deportation when public outcry in late March brought attention to his case.

Government offers Jojo £46 to go home [scotsman]

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'Day of Silence' Met with Protests, Solidarity in Rural Washington

As you may know, today is GLSEN's 12th annual Day of Silence. Students from more than 6,800 schools across the nation are expected to take part by taking a vow of silence to raise awareness about anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. One school on which media attention is focused is Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie, Washington. Chris Monsos graduated from Mount Si in 1997. He pens the blog Hunk du Jour and works as a software engineer outside Seattle.

Around the country, lunch rooms will be a bit quieter and hallways a bit less rowdy as students in over 5,000 schools participate in the annual 'Day of Silence'. The event is designed to draw attention to anti-LGBT bullying in schools and promote learning spaces that are respectful and tolerant of all people.

In rural Snoqualmie, Washington, the Mount Si High School Gay-Straight Alliance will be taking part, but activist pastor Ken Hutcherson aims to protest the event by encircling the school with 1,000 praying Christians. Hutcherson appeared at the school in January of this year, causing controversy after he was selected to be a speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly. During his appearance a teacher booed him, and another teacher asked him about the disconnect between his message of equality and his intolerance of the GLBT community.

After the encounter Rev. Hutcherson called for the firing of the two teachers who spoke out. The school offered an official apology, and the district said in a statement that "appropriate action has been taken with staff and school administration..." The district added that it does not comment on personnel matters.

Protesters of the 'Day of Silence' placed a half-page ad in the local paper, The Snoqualmie Valley Record;. They call the event too disruptive for the learning environment, when organizers attest that it is designed to be as non-disruptive as possible.

Support for the Mount Si GSA has appeared from what might have been considered an unlikely source -- another small church in the Snoqualmie Valley. Tolt Congregational UCC, a church in nearby Carnation, took out a full-page ad in the Record, reading "...we stand in solidarity with these student leaders for their efforts to make our schools safe and welcoming to all."

I spoke to Neil Lequia (below, right), a former student who is returning to Mount Si today to support students and facilitate a news conference. Lequia is the subject of a profile in today's Seattle Times.

"It's overwhelming to know that within the community we have so much encouragement and opposition," says Lequia, who began working with GLSEN when he was a student at Mount Si, helping create the GSA. "Because Tolt UCC is a Christian church, it shows that not all Christians are bad people, and they can accept everyone for their differences."

Adds Lequia: "Gay rights has become so vocally debated in the valley because its an issue that people feel they don't have to deal with. It has always been swept under the rug because there are 'no gays in the valley.'"

GSA Advisor Eric Goldhammer reports that around 200 students have taken part in the required 'Day of Silence' training meetings. Student participants are pledging to "approach the day with dignity, maturity and respect." When asked about what he is proudest of thus far, he sees students realizing that "they can make an impact on the world, even in little Snoqualmie, Washington -- they're getting an idea of what student leadership is all about."

While the protesters stand just outside of school property, what you won't see is a counter-protest. A small group of community supporters will welcome students at the gates and show their support. They intend on being gone before the expected protest crowd even arrives. GLSEN WA (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network) will also be holding an off-campus press conference to answer questions about the 'Day of Silence' and talk to the media about the importance of GSAs in schools.

Adds Lequia: "The 'Day of Silence' raises awareness of issues. It shows how people have to conceal their identity on the behalf of other people. This whole event is about anti bullying and harassment and those things happen especially in high schools. We are the people who are going to make a difference."

Related
Ex-student returns to Mount Si to support Day of Silence [seattle times]
(neil lequia image - dean rutz, seattle times)

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Gay Student at Aussie School Objects to 'Straights-Only' Formal

A gay student at one of Brisbane, Australia's elite Anglican private schools has made national headlines after threatening a boycott over the school's policies for its spring formal, at which male students are required to bring a female date.

News.com.au reports: "The student, who did not wish to be named, said he felt misled following his approach to a senior teacher and said he expected students would consider a boycott. The student said he approached Head of Senior School Dr Phil Cummins, who told him the school's practice of allowing only female formal partners would be "quietly changed" if he did not make a big deal about it. 'He said to me, 'If you go quietly about this and if you don't cause us too much trouble, we will just quietly change the rules so they're allowed and no-one gets hurt',' the student said. 'At the start of 2006, there was no one at the school who was openly gay, now there are dozens. Generally it's a very accepting school. It's not like anyone has ever been persecuted for being gay. A few students will have second thoughts about going to the formal because of all this.'"

The headmaster, Jonathan Hensman, stands by the school's policy: "We decide what is appropriate behaviour and what is not."

Australia's leading Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, who heads the school council, told ABC News: "I have no personal objection to a school deciding to allow boys to take friends who are boys or girls to take friends who are girls to school formals. But I understand in this particular instance the school has decided that its approach is to emphasise the interaction of young men and young women and providing them with an opportunity to do that in this kind of formal setting. And I have no objection to that either. I think that's a reasonable and legitimate approach."

Anger at school gay ban [news.com.au]

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Gay Kansas Student Who Faced Expulsion Returns to School

Jimmy Iniguez, the gay Kansas high school student who faced possible explusion after officials said he "harassed" another student in a school bathroom, will be returning to school. The incident originated after Iniguez, who describes the other student as his "best friend," told his straight friend that because of their association people were saying that he was gay.

Iniguez faced a hearing last week and was allowed to return yesterday: "He received a letter from the district today saying a hearing officer found him not guilty of the charge. He plans to return to school at the Towne East Educational Resource Center on Wednesday. 'I'm very happy it worked out and I can go back to school,' Iniguez said. 'If anybody goes through what I went through, I encourage them to fight it and not give up.'"

The Towne East Educational Resource Center is a different school, however. Said Iniguez: "I really hope this next school is more accepting and tolerant towards differences."

Iniguez claims he was unfairly accused because he is gay.

Previously
Gay Student Faces Possible Expulsion for 'Harassing' Straight Friend [tr]

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Marc Jacobs hits L.A. with new man.

Melbourne, Australia teacher fined $3,000 for blackmailing former lover with a sex video: "Hicks became aware that the victim was a 'closet homosexual' who had a wife and daughter who were not aware of his activities, Judge Michael McInerney told the court. 'He was discreet, or discreet as one can be if you pick up someone in a public toilet,' he said. The court was told that during one of their liaisons, Hicks - who also was married, had a child and was bisexual - recorded them on his mobile phone participating in a sex act. Hicks later approached the victim and told him he had a video of them and that he wanted $3,000 or he would show it to the victim's wife and put it on YouTube, the court heard."

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Gay Student Faces Possible Expulsion for 'Harassing' Straight Friend

Gay Kansas high school student Jimmy Iniguez faces possible expulsion after being identified as an accomplice in an incident which resulted in a straight friend's expulsion. That incident originated after Iniguez, who describes the other student as his "best friend," told his straight friend that because of their association people were saying that he was gay.

"According to Iniguez, the incident began when a female friend told him she had heard a rumor that a mutual male friend of theirs was gay. 'I told her that rumor was false,' Iniguez said. 'I said I would know, because I was his best friend.' But, 'it's like you can't be straight and have a gay friend,' he added. When the male student saw Iniguez in the bathroom later that day, he asked Iniguez what was going on. 'So I told him, 'Some people are saying you're gay, but don't worry. I told them it wasn't true,'' Iniguez said. 'But he still got kind of upset.' The student, who is 18, allegedly returned to class and threatened students and a teacher, Iniguez said. He was suspended and later expelled. School officials then suspended Iniguez, saying he was partly to blame because he harassed the teenager in the bathroom. 'It appears to me, if there's any harassment here, it's on the part of the administration at the school,' said John McKean, a lawyer representing Iniguez and his mother. The teenager, a longtime friend of Iniguez's, has agreed to testify on Iniguez's behalf at today's hearing, McKean said."

Iniguez has been suspended, unfairly he says, because he is gay: "I am openly gay, and some people don't like that. But I never bothered anybody. All I want is to go back to school."

An expulsion hearing was set for this morning.

Kansas Equality Coalition apparently held a press conference outside the school today.

Teen denies harassment claim [wichita eagle]

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London Supporters of Gay Iranian Teen Stage Downing St Protest

London supporters of gay Iranian teen Mehdi Kazemi staged the demonstration outside Prime Minister Gordon Brown's residence at 10 Downing Street I posted about on Friday. These photographs of the protestors were shot by UK blogger Cosmodaddy.

Kazemi, who awaits deportation from The Netherlands to the UK, was granted a temporary reprieve from deportation from Britain by the Home Secretary last week after public outcry. Kazemi's prior request for asylum in the UK was turned down in 2006 after British authorities determined that Iran is a country that does not systematically persecute gays. But that's because Iran does not recognize homosexuality.

Activists have been working hard demanding Britain change their asylum policies.

UK Gay News reports: " Over 120 protesters braved hail and rain on Saturday to demand that gay Iranian asylum seeker, Mehdi Kazemi, be granted refuge in the UK. They also urged asylum for the Iranian lesbian refugee, Pegah Emambakhsh, and an estimated 12 other gay Iranians who are at risk of deportation back to Tehran. There were calls for a “fundamental reform” of the way the Home Office treats LGBTI asylum applicants."

According to UK Gay News, Peter Tatchell, who spoke to the BBC last week about the issue, told the rally:

"The government is currently failing LGBTI refugees. Asylum staff and adjudicators receive race and gender awareness training but no training at all on sexual orientation issues. As a result, they often make stereotyped assumptions: that a feminine woman can’t be a lesbian or that a masculine man cannot be gay. They sometimes rule that someone who has been married must be faking their homosexuality. The government refuses to explicitly rule that homophobic and transphobic persecution are legitimate grounds for granting asylum. This signals to asylum staff and judges that claims by LGBTI people are not as worthy as those based on persecution because of a person's ethnicity, gender, politics or faith. The Home Office country reports on homophobic and transphobic persecution are often partial, inaccurate and misleading. They consistently downplay the severity of victimisation suffered by LGBTI people in violently homophobic countries like Iran, Nigeria, Iraq, Uganda, Palestine, Algeria and Jamaica. Cuts in the funding of legal aid for asylum claims means that most asylum applicants – gay and straight – are unable to prepare an adequate submission at their asylum hearing..."

More photos at Cosmodaddy's Flickr page.

Save Mehdi Kazemi [cosmodaddy]
Save Mehdi Kazemi [lewishamdreamer flickr]
Mehdi Must Stay Demo [uk gay news]

Previously
Peter Tatchell on Iran and Gays: It's Like Nazi Germany [tr]
Following Reprieve, Gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi Thanks Supporters [tr]
Save Gay Iranian Teen Madhi Kazemi [tr]
Gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi Seeking Asylum in the UK [tr]

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UK Report: 'Gay' Now the #1 Abusive Word in Schools

A UK teachers group reports that "gay" is now the #1 most frequently used abusive insult at schools.

No doubt the words would be slightly different in American schools, but here are the words teachers report are being used abusively in UK schools (number indicates percentage of teachers who reported that word as a term of abuse).

Gay (83%)
Bitch (59%)
Slag (45%)
Poof (29%)
Batty boy (29%)
Slut (26%)
Queer (26%)
Lezzie (24.8%)
Homo (22%)
Faggot (11%)
Sissy (5%)

Slang lexicographer Tony Thorne, told the BBC: "'Every generation grows up with a whole lexicon of homosexual insults, in my day it was 'poofter' or 'bender'. They were used much more because they were considered more offensive than 'gay', which is more neutral. It's only in the last four years that I've documented it being used so much by young people. It's what we call a 'vogue' word, which is a fashionable word.' A reason for this recent increase in use could be because 'gay' has lost its sexual connotations among young people, he says. While still pejorative, for the majority of youngsters it has replaced words such as 'lame' and is no longer about sexual orientation. 'I have interviewed scores of school kids about this and they are always emphatic that it has nothing at all to do with hostility to homosexuals,' says Mr Thorne, compiler of the Dictionary of Contemporary Slang. 'It is nearly always used in contexts where sexual orientation and sexuality are completely irrelevant.'"

How 'gay' became children's insult of choice [bbc]

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Following Reprieve, Gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi Thanks Supporters

Following the British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's announcement that they would be granting gay Iranian teen Mehdi Kazemi a temporary reprieve from deportation while they consider his case, Kazemi has thanked his supporters from around the world.

Said Kazemi, through his uncle Saeed, who resides in the UK: "I am very thankful for everyone’s concern and help."

UK Gay News reports: "The announcement from the Home Office came as the European Parliament passed a resolution that said, in part that the EU Member states involved must 'find a common solution to ensure that Mehdi Kazemi is granted asylum or protection on the EU soil and not sent back to Iran, where he would be executed, hereby ensuring that article 3 of the ECHR is fully respected by all European authorities and notably, in this case, by the UK; asks the Commission and the Council to fully cooperate with the Member States on this case.' Peers in the House of Lords also petitioned the Home Secretary yesterday."

Kazemi is still in The Netherlands, and there is no word on when he would be sent to the UK.

In related news, our reader Joe received this email from Lord Waheed Alli:

***
Dear Joe

I am the first openly gay member of the House of Lords. I was shocked and saddened to read about Mehdi Kazemi. Mehdi is a gay teenager from Iran and faced imminent deportation. He came to London to study in 2004. His boyfriend was executed for being gay in April 2006. Over 4,000 men and women face execution in Iran for being gay.

I raised this issue in the UK parliament on Tuesday and I asked the UK government to reconsider his case. I am please to tell you that yesterday the UK government said they would reconsider his case and I am hopeful that he will be allowed to stay.

Your emails and support are gratefully received and I will let you know what the final decision is. I have forwarded your letter to the government as a show of support from concerned individuals from America.

Thank you for writing to me and rest assured I will do my best to help this young man.

Kind regards,

Waheed
(Lord Alli)
***

Kazemi supporters can also keep the pressure on PM Gordon Brown via this form (thanks, David)

Gay Iranian in Europe: Mehdi Says ‘Thank You’ [uk gay news]

Previously
Save Gay Iranian Teen Madhi Kazemi [tr]
Gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi Seeking Asylum in the UK [tr]

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Gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi Seeking Asylum in the UK

19-year-old Iranian Mehdi Kazemi is being held in detention in The Netherlands while a Dutch court deliberates whether or not it is legal for asylum to be sought in two European countries. Kazemi's request for asylum in the UK was turned down in 2006 after British authorities determined that Iran is a country that does not systematically persecute gays. But that's because Iran does not recognize homosexuality.

ABC reports: "While studying English and science in the U.K., Kazemi learned that his boyfriend had been executed for sodomy back in Iran. His father told him the boyfriend had confessed to Iranian authorities that Kazemi was his lover. The authorities, Kazemi found out, had already been to his parents' house with a warrant for his arrest. 'I was very scared,' Kazemi wrote in a letter accompanying his request for asylum in Britain and published in full on the website of the Canada-based Iranian Queer Organization. 'I wish to inform secretary of state that I did not come to the UK to claim asylum … But in the past few months my situation back home has changed. The Iranian authorities have found out that I am a homosexual and they are looking for me.' He continued, 'I can not stop my attraction to men … If I return to Iran I will be arrested and executed like [my boyfriend]. Since this incident … I have been so scared.'"

The Netherlands may decide to send Kazemi back to the UK, where his fate is again up in the air.

See the clip as well as another report from Sky News, AFTER THE JUMP...

And here's a report from Sky News:

Mehdi Kazemi, United Kingdom Is a Danger for All Refugees
by GWB-

Iranian Teen Fears Deportation Means Death [abc news]

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Huge Vigil Turnout for Gay California Teen Slain in Hate Crime

A quickly scheduled peace march in Oxnard, California on Saturday drew nearly 1,000 people distraught over the tragic killing of Lawrence King, the 14-year-old boy who was gunned down by a classmate last week because he was gay.

The L.A. Times reports: "'Larry, Larry, Larry!' the crowd chanted before marchers clasped hands in a moment of silence for the fallen student. There were no bullhorns, no speeches and no politicians. Just a mass of mostly adolescents wearing bright clothing, carrying signs and singing John Lennon's 'Imagine' and 'Give Peace a Chance.' The size of the turnout surprised police, school officials and even the two Hueneme High School sophomores who put the event together just three days ago, spreading the word with fliers, cellphone calls and MySpace bulletins. 'We were expecting maybe 100 or 200 people,' said Courtney LaForest, 16, as she gazed at a broad 'peace circle' formed by march participants at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard. 'This is incredible.' Courtney said the turnout reflected a community's anguish over a senseless shooting that has destroyed the lives of two young men. It was also a public plea for tolerance on school campuses for those who are different, she said."

A memorial service is scheduled for King on Friday at 3 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 755 Bard Road in Port Hueneme.

Over 200 messages have already been left on a website set up to remember King.

View an AP news report on King AFTER THE JUMP...

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Shooting of Gay CA Student Officially Labeled a Hate Crime

Brandon McInerney, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime in the shooting death of Lawrence 'Larry' King. The charges are expected to be upgraded to murder once King is taking off his ventilator, which is keeping his body alive so that he may donate his organs. McInerney is to be tried as an adult. McInerney reportedly turned 14, which is the cutoff age to be tried as an adult, on January 24th.

King was shot in the head in front of a full classroom of students. It still has not been disclosed where McInerney got the gun that he snuck into the classroom.

According to King's father, when King arrived at the hospital he was making some unintelligible sounds but doctors quickly induced a coma as part of his treatment. He survived for six hours but then suffered a massive stroke, which caused his brain to swell, and ultimately, his death.

Via the AP: "[Ventura County prosecutor Maeve] Fox said she could not discuss the facts behind the allegation of a hate crime because those details of the case have not been publicly disclosed. Oxnard police have not specified a motive but said there appeared to be a personal dispute between the two. King sometimes came to school wearing makeup and high heels, eighth-grader Nicholas Cortez, 14, told The Associated Press. Another eighth-grader, Michael Sweeney, said King's appearance was 'freaking the guys out,' the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. 'He would come to school in high-heeled boots, makeup, jewelry and painted nails — the whole thing,' Sweeney told the Times."

The L.A. Times reports that "classmates of the slain boy, Lawrence King, said he recently had started to wear makeup and jewelry and had proclaimed himself gay. Several students said King and a group of boys, including the defendant, had a verbal confrontation concerning King's sexual orientation a day before the killing."

The paper adds, "Because he is a minor, McInerney will remain in Juvenile Hall and be taken to the Ventura courtroom for court appearances, Fox said. He is being held in lieu of $770,000 bail. If convicted, McInerney could face 50 years to life. The hate crime enhancement would add another one to three years to his sentence."

Up top is a shot of King provided to the media by his family. His father explained that "In Port Hueneme, he used licorice sticks to catch crawdads."

The Ventura County Star reports: "He said his son was headstrong, confident, artistic and sweet. Larry King loved to sing songs by folk rock trio Crosby, Stills and Nash, and was studying 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in hopes of singing it at his younger brother's baseball games, his father said. 'He had a very gifted singing voice.' He was so good, in fact, that one of Greg King's friends — unaware of the family's tragedy — called Wednesday to say his son should audition for 'American Idol.'"

Oxnard school shooting called a hate crime [la times]
Charges Filed in SoCal School Shooting [ap]
Victim's family members say they will donate teen's organs [ventura county star]

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Gay Junior High Student Shot at School Declared Brain Dead [tr]
Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School [tr]

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Gay Junior High Student Shot at School Declared Brain Dead

Yesterday I posted about a 15-year-old gay student, now identified as Lawrence King, who was shot by a classmate in front of at least 20 other students in a classroom at his junior high school in Oxnard, California. King has now been declared brain dead and his body remains on a respirator for organ donation.

From the details that have emerged so far it appears that the shooting did, in fact, have to do with the fact that King was open about his sexuality.

The L.A Times reports:

"Police have not determined a motive in the slaying but said it appeared to stem from a personal dispute between King and the suspect...But several students at the south Oxnard campus said King and his alleged assailant had a falling out stemming from King's sexual orientation. The teenager sometimes wore feminine clothing and makeup, and proclaimed he was gay, students said. 'He would come to school in high-heeled boots, makeup, jewelry and painted nails -- the whole thing,' said Michael Sweeney, 13, an eighth-grader. 'That was freaking the guys out.' Student Juan Sandoval, 14, said he shared a fourth-period algebra class with the suspect, whom he described as a calm, smart student who played on the basketball team. 'I didn't think he was that kind of kid,' Sandoval said. 'I guess you never know. He made a big mistake.'...Several students said that a day before the shooting, King and several boys had some kind of altercation during the lunch period. If the suspect targeted King because of his sexual orientation, the case could rise to the level of a hate crime, authorities said. 'We've heard that and a lot of other things,' [Oxnard police spokesman David ] Keith said. 'But I can't say what the motive is until we finish our interviews.' [Ventura County Dist. Atty. Gregory] Totten said he could not comment on the specifics of the case until he reviewed the police investigation. But a hate-crime enhancement is something that prosecutors would consider as they move forward, he said. 'It's something we will look at,' he said. 'But the case is going to be reviewed as a murder involving the use of a firearm, and that carries a potential sentence of 50 years to life.'"

The 14-year-old suspect will be charged with first-degree murder.

Apparently King was in counseling for "some of his concerns and issues" according to the school superintendent.

This is why kids need to be taught tolerance in schools. This is why kids need to be allowed to have children's books that teach them there are gay and lesbian people in the world, and it's okay. This is why numbskulls like Tennessee Rep. Stacey Campfield, who wants to ban anything in schools that teaches kids about homosexuality from kindergarten to eighth grade, endanger the lives of children rather than 'protect' them.

Tragic.

Previously
Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School [tr]

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Gay Student Shot at L.A.-Area Junior High School

A gay junior high school student in Oxnard, California was shot in front of dozens of other classmates yesterday, the L.A. Times reports:

"The shooting was not gang-related, said [Oxnard police spokesman David] Keith, who added that the school had not been a particular trouble spot before. 'It looked like it was personal between the two of them,' he said, declining to elaborate. Some students said the victim, whose name was not disclosed, sometimes wore makeup and feminine jewelry and had declared himself gay. They said he was frequently taunted by other boys and had been involved in an argument with the alleged shooter, an eighth-grader who also was not named, and others Monday. During the lunchtime argument, one of the boys shouted at Tuesday's victim, 'You better watch your back,' said one student who witnessed the encounter. Police said they had not determined a motive for the crime. Keith said investigators had also heard that the victim was gay but did not know whether that was true or whether it figured in the attack. They were sorting through several other possibilities as well, he said: 'Which are true and which are rumor, we're trying to figure out.'"

The student's condition is reportedly critical, but improving.

Student shot in Oxnard [la times]

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News: Heath Ledger Hoax, Italy, Matt Damon, Mexico, Diana Ross,

Time magazine looks at the 15th anniversary of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "The issue exploded during Clinton's first week as President, triggered by those in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill opposed to his campaign pledge to reverse an executive order barring gays and lesbians from serving. 'The issue is whether men and women who can and have served with real distinction should be excluded from military service solely on the basis of their status,' Clinton said at the time. 'And I believe they should not.' While the phrase 'don't ask, don't tell' wasn't used at that January 29, 1993, press conference, that's what everyone soon began calling the policy."

Not that Oz: Matt Damon in the Emerald City.

Diana Ross BOOED in Jamaica: Not ready for her close-up.

200 Mexican youths and parents march to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS: "Participants marched through the city's main streets chanting slogans, such as 'Not One More Infected Person' and 'Equal Rights for Young Homosexuals.' Some of the participants also dressed in costumes and distributed condoms. Josue Quino, head of the CAIPAJ gay adolescent and youth center, said the march was necessary to warn youth that a 'single unprotected [sexual] encounter is enough to' contract HIV. Members from the Group of Mothers and Fathers for Diversity also marched in the demonstration, carrying signs that said 'We're Proud of Our Children' and 'Our Children Have United Our Families.'"

Manchester UK police investigate rape at gay sauna.

Clay Aiken: no love.

Which one's Twiggy, which one's Keira Knightley?

Barbara Walters bans Kathy Griffin from The View...again. Griffin: "I was supposed to be on 'The View' [today]. But then I get a call from [producer] Bill Geddie and he says, 'You were too mean to Barbara [Walters] on your last special, so you can't come on.' Can you believe it? I've been banned before, but never re-banned!"

Scammer, posing as Heath Ledger's father, takes advantage of doctor, funeral home, Tom Cruise, and John Travolta: " Cops want to arrest the con man on fraud and larceny charges, and sent detectives to Ledger's wake at the funeral home Friday in hopes of catching him, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. But police do not know the identity of the impostor - who also tried to finagle from one unidentified Hollywood star the numbers of actors Mel Gibson and Christian Bale, who have co-starred in movies with Ledger."

Michael Jackson to get additional reconstructive surgery — this time to his album Thriller.

Method Acting: Sean Penn and James Franco, playing Harvey Milk and his lover Scott Smith, respectively, in the Gus van Sant biopic Milk, reportedly wanted to shack up together for a while before filming started to get to know one another, but due to scheduling difficulties, those plans fell through.

Study finds middle age is truly depressing: "For men and women the probability of depression slowly builds and then peaks when people are in their forties -- a similar pattern found in 72 countries ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe, the researchers said. About eight nations -- mostly in the developing world -- did not follow the U-shaped pattern for happiness levels, Oswald and his colleague David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College in the United States wrote. 'It happens to men and women, to single and married people, to rich and poor, and to those with and without children,' Oswald said. 'Nobody knows why we see this consistency.' One possibility may be that people realize they won't achieve many of their aspirations at middle age, the researchers said. Another reason could be that after seeing their fellow middle-aged peers begin to die, people begin to value their own remaining years and embrace life once more. But the good news is that if people make it to aged 70 and are still physically fit, they are on average as happy and mentally healthy as a 20-year old."

German airline to offer nudist flight.

Italian MP called 'faggot, fairy' and 'traitor' for voting against party lines in order to defend Italian Premier Romano Prodi: "The name-calling erupted on the floor of the Italian Senate on Jan. 24 as Sen. Stefano 'Nuccio' Cusumano shocked fellow members of the tiny Udeur Party by declaring his support for Prodi. The party decided a week earlier to withdraw from Prodi’s fragile ruling coalition, forcing a 'confidence' vote under Italy’s parliamentary system. The Senate voted 161 to 156 to defeat a resolution of confidence for Prodi, forcing him to resign immediately. Although the Udeur Party had helped Prodi form his center-left government in 2006, the party strongly opposed legislation backed by Prodi to provide legal rights and benefits for same-sex couples."

Gay Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns talks to the Victory Fund, calls anti-gay attack a galvanizing moment: “That morning was an awful, terrible, not good morning. I thought of my mother and father, the little rural town that they live in, and waking up and reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and seeing my name on the front page. No parent ever wants to see their child attacked, even if they’re an adult.”

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Hillary Clinton Makes Statement on Gay Youth and Suicide

In another question and answer session with young voters, Clinton is asked about the high rate of depression and suicide among LGBT teenagers.

I've transcribed her comments below...

"It's such a serious problem and I've done a lot of work on this in New York because I'm well aware of the depression and anxiety and frankly the high rate of suicide comparatively among gay teens. First, number one we've got to do everything we can to send a clear message that we value you. We value you as a person, you as a total person and we want you to feel accepted and respected in your community and you'll certainly have a president who feels that way. There need to be more services. Sometimes it's difficult in school and there's not a lot of understanding and sensitivity. We;ve got to do more to help prepare school officials and frankly your peers in school. Just because somebody doesn't understand doesn't mean they should to be a bully They need to really be taught and guided to be more accepting and that is something that I feel very strongly about. There's even a school in New York that I have supported that is just for gay teens because it is very difficult in many areas for people to find any acceptance whatsoever. We need more health services. We need more mentoring and assistance so that you don't feel so alone..."

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Some Speculate Upcoming Executions in Iran May Be Gay Youths

UK Gay News is speculating, based on limited information out of Iran on the planned execution of two youths and the manner of the execution, that the youths may be gay:

"According to the Iranian official Quds Daily, two youths, identified as Tayab and Yazdan, had their execution confirmed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday and regional justices are preparing the execution. Also included charged in the same case were four others who are to receive 100 lashes each. The ages of the two to be executed are not given, but they were convicted, according to Quds, of 'kidnapping, mugging and raping two university students'. The gender of the two students is not known. Quds reports that the executions will be carried out by putting each youth in a sack and throwing them off the top of a cliff and into a ravine. This form of execution under Shariah law is normally reserved for those convicted of gay offences (lavat). But there is no mention of ‘lavat’ in the Quds report of this case. If a person survives this execution, then he is hanged."

While it's difficult to know whether the allegations in these kinds of cases are legitimate because sexual assault charges are often trumped up to undermine public sympathy for the offenders when the real reason behind the executions is the sexuality of those targeted, it's in any case a barbaric scenario.

More on this as it develops...

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Iranian Man Executed Today Without Notice for Alleged Sex Crime [tr]
Execution of Iranian Gay Man Stayed Due to International Pressure [tr]
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