Vallejo Schools to Pay $25,000 to Lesbian Teen

The problem of teachers and school administrators bringing their own anti-gay religious bigotry into the schools continues to be a problem and it sets the stage where nothing significant is done to stop anti-gay bullying and harassment. Fortunately, the ACLU has won an out of court victory that may be a wake up call to some school divisions that to date only give lip service to opposing anti-gay bullying. Under the agreement, the Vallejo City Unified School District will pay $25,000 to a lesbian student and modify its policies to better protect LGBT students. Here are some highlights from the Napa Times Herald:

*

A lesbian student's complaint that teachers harassed her over her sexual orientation has led to a Vallejo school district agreement to pay her $25,000 and revamp anti-discrimination policies, it was announced Monday. The agreement between the Vallejo City Unified School District and the American Civil Liberties Union was reached without litigation, said ACLU attorney Elizabeth Gill.

*

The student, Rochelle Hamilton, now 16, was a sophomore at Jesse Bethel High School in the fall of 2007, when teachers allegedly verbally harassed her and forced her to attend a counseling session for gay students. Gill said the counselor tried to discourage Hamilton and other students in the session from being gay.

*
The alleged harassment included a staff member telling Hamilton she was "ungodly" and "going to hell" as she embraced her then-girlfriend. The alleged comments transformed the "social butterfly" into a teenager on the verge of suicide, Hamilton's mother Cheri said Monday.

*

According to a letter dated Jan. 17, 2008 from the ACLU to Bull, staff members made comments to the girl such as, "Remember, you're a girl, not a boy," and, "You can get HIV/AIDS from being gay and messing with females."

*

Cheri Hamilton said she wrote several letters to the district, but officials did not respond satisfactorily. Bull said the district is working to improve its complaint reporting procedures. Gill said even though the district has not admitted liability, the fact that officials agreed to the settlement should say something about their culpability. "Yes, I believe that these instances happened," Gill said of the alleged harassment by school officials.

*

Hamilton said she hopes other kids will see her standing up for herself and be inspired to do the same, including pushing the district to hold up to its end of the agreement. If the district defaults on the legally binding agreement, the ACLU will sue, Gill said.

*

One thing that always strikes me is the meanness and viciousness of self-proclaimed Christians in their treatment of LGBT individuals. Do they really think Christ would endorse their behavior that often makes the Pharisees of the Bible seem kind and altruistic? Why is it that so many "godly Christians" are the strongest argument for NOT being a Christian?