School Protects Gay Student After Lawsuit Filed

Having grown up in Central New York through high school, I had been watching a story out of Herkimer County - a fairly rural county to the east of Utica not quite half way to Albany - with interest. The gist of the story is that a public school repeatedly failed to protect a gay student (pictured at left) from constant harassment. That is until the New York Civil Liberties Union got involved and filed a lawsuit against the school division. What is disturbing is that this situation occurred in New York State which legally is light years ahead of back waters like Virginia in terms of legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Not that the laws stopped the bigots in Herkimer County. Having taken my share of abuse for being a "pansy" or "fag" in junior and senior high school, I believe NO ONE should suffer such abuse EVER (fortunately, I was able to "recreate" myself at college). Here are some highlights via The Advocate:
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A school district in Herkimer County, N.Y. has agreed to take immediate action to protect a gay student before the academic year begins in September. The agreement is only a step in resolving a lawsuit that was filed on behalf of a 14-year-old student who was constantly harassed by students at his high school for his sexual orientation. A federal judge approved of the New York Civil Liberties Union's suggestions for the school district, the specifics of which cannot be disclosed.

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Jacob, a student at the Gregory B. Jarvis Junior/Senior High School in central New York, had been subjected to constant verbal abuse, and was regularly pushed or the target of thrown objects. Some of his personal property had also been vandalized, according to the statement by the legal organization. Jacob had sprained his ankle earlier this year after a student pushed him down a flight of stairs. Another student brought a knife to school, threatening to kill Jacob.
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The NYCLU filed the case in August. "It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to motivate school district officials to protect a student from vicious harassment," said NYCLU staff attorney Corey Stoughton, lead counsel on the case. "Our case will proceed until the district addresses the systemic failures that allowed it to ignore Jacob’s plight for two years." NYCLU executive director Donna Lieberman added that the district must take steps to "ensure that all students are safe at school and treated with the dignity and respect they deserve."

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I hope other school districts in New York have paid attention and will decide to do the right thing for students without the need of a lawsuit being filed.