Judge: Principal Went On Gay Witch Hunt

365gay is reporting that in a newly released opinion a Federal Judge has strongly chastised Ponce de Leon High School's former principal and in directly the school district in a stinging opinion. I posted about the situation a few months back when Judge Richard Smoak initially ordered the school and school division to cease censorship of students who want to express their support for gay people. The new opinion goes on to show just what levels of anti-gay religious fanaticism was rampant at Ponce de Leon High School (pictured at left). The Christianists whine incessantly about religious freedom, but then arrogantly and obnoxiously trample on the religious freedom rights of others. They are self-centered, self-righteous, and self-satisfied bullies and hypocrites in my view. Notice how Confederate flags were fine, suggesting yet again that most extreme Christianists are also racists. Here are some story highlights:

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(Ponce de Leon, Florida) A federal judge has accused a Florida high school principal of going on a witch hunt for gays. In a stinging rebuke, US District Judge Richard Smoak, said in a written ruling that Ponce de Leon High School principal David Davis led a “relentless crusade” against homosexuality at the school. “Davis embarked on what can only be characterized as a witch hunt,” Smoak’s ruling said. The ruling also said that Davis led “morality assemblies” that ignored the First Amendment.

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During the two-day trial in May, Davis testified that he believed clothing, buttons or stickers featuring rainbows would make students automatically picture gay people having sex. He went on to admit that while censoring rainbows and gay pride messages, he allowed students to wear other symbols many find controversial, such as the Confederate flag.

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The school district replied that it would not allow any expressions of support for gay rights at all because such speech would “likely be disruptive.” The district then said that such symbols and slogans were signs that students were part of a “secret/illegal organization.”

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The judge also warned the district not to retaliate against students over the lawsuit.

Judge Rules Against Anti-gay Principal who Allows Confederate Flag Wearing

I posted a while back on the case of Heather Gillman, a junior at Ponce de Leon High School, in Florida who with the help of the ACLU had challenged a ban in her high school against wearing LGBT supportive slogans or symbols. Meanwhile, wearing the Confederate flag was totally fine by the school's principal. These family values types only care about straight, white Christians and to Hell with anyone else's rights. I can only wonder about the principal's obsession with visulizing gay sex - a closet case, perhaps? In any event, today, a judge ruled against the high school and vindicated Ms. Gillman. Here are some highlights from the ACLU website:

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PANAMA CITY, FL – After a two-day trial in which a Florida high school principal testified that he believed clothing or stickers featuring rainbows would make students automatically picture gay people having sex, a federal judge today ruled that the school violated students’ First Amendment rights of students. The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a junior at the school who had been forbidden by her principal to wear any sort of clothing, stickers, buttons, or symbols to show her support of equal rights for gay people.

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Judge Richard Smoak of the United States District Court, Northern District of Florida, Panama City Division, issued an order that forces the school to stop its unconstitutional censorship of students who want to express their support for the fair and equal treatment of gay people. The judge also warned the district not to retaliate against students over the lawsuit.

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During the trial, which was held in Panama City yesterday and today, Ponce de Leon High School’s principal David Davis admitted under oath that he had banned students from wearing any clothing or symbols supporting equal rights for gay people. Davis also testified that he believed rainbows were “sexually suggestive” and would make students unable to study because they’d be picturing gay sex acts in their mind. The principal went on to admit that while censoring rainbows and gay pride messages he allowed students to wear other symbols many find controversial, such as the Confederate flag.

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Gillman v. Holmes County School District, case no. 5:08-cv-34, was heard in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Florida. A copy of the ACLU’s complaint as well as the earlier letter and the school’s response can be downloaded at: www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/33859res20080131.html.

Florida School Attempts to Ban Pro-Gay Speech

I Previously did a post about Ponce de Leon High School, a high school in Florida, where the principal, David Davis, was trying to stamp out any reference to or support for fair treatment of LGBT students. Initial reports were bad enough, but reading portions of the school board’s response to the ACLU – which has since filed a lawsuit against the school division – and the allegations contained in the ACLU complaint evidence a school system out of control in terms of ignoring the law. Moreover, the district seems well on the road to overt anti-gay actions that would give James Dobson and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee ecstasy filled wet dreams. I can only think that Christ must be shaking his head in dismay over the actions of this Pharisee like bigots. Anyone who would like to express their thoughts to Principal David Davis can e-mail him here: davisd@hdsb.org Here are some highlights on situation via Dispatches from the Culture Wars (http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/02/florida_school_bans_progay_spe.php):

The ACLU has filed suit against Ponce de Leon High School in Florida on behalf of several students who have been forbidden from any form of expressive support for gay rights - t-shirts, buttons, even a rainbow symbol on a bookbag or a notebook. The school board is taking the bizarre position that any such symbol is evidence that students belong to an "illegal organization" and that all pro-gay speech is inherently disruptive. According to the legal complaint, this all began in September when a lesbian student at the school was harassed by a group of students. She complained to a teacher about it and was then called into the principal's office and harangued for being gay:

Upon information and belief, at the end of the school day on Monday, September 10,2007, Defendant Davis called Jane Doe into his office to discuss the incident on the previous Friday. Defendant Davis asked Jane Doe if she had told the teacher's aide that she was a lesbian. Jane Doe answered "yes" in order to give context to the taunting. He then asked, "are you a lesbian?" Jane Doe answered yes. He explained that Jane Doe should not be gay and she should not tell people she is gay. Mr. Davis then instructed Jane Doe not to talk with the "middle school" girls. Defendant Davis also told Jane Doe that "gay pride" was a disgrace to the school.

17. Upon information and belief, during the days after the assembly, Defendant Davis called in about a dozen students to interrogate them about the "GP" and "Gay Pride" writings that some students were displaying on their arms and school materials and about the rumored walkout of the assembly. During those meetings, Defendant Davis instructed students not to wear a rainbow belt and or to write "Gay Pride" or "GP" on their arms or notebooks.

18. One of the students that Defendant Davis called into his office during the days after the assembly is Heather's cousin, who is also a student at Ponce de Leon High School. Upon information and belief, Defendant Davis interrogated Heather's cousin about her sexual orientation and about the sexual orientation of other students at the school. Defendant Davis also stated something to the effect of being gay was not right and that being gay is against the Bible. He further stated that he hoped that Heather's cousin would not "go down that road" of being gay. He then instructed her not to discuss her sexual orientation with any students at the school, not to say "gay pride" or write it on her body or school materials, and not to wear gay themed clothing, including her rainbow-colored belt. Defendant Davis explained to Heather's cousin that if she were to do any of these things, he would suspend her from school.

19. Upon information and belief, on or about Friday, September 21, 2007, and Monday, September 24,2007, Defendant Davis suspended a handful of students, including Heather's cousin, for five school days each for expressing their support for the fair treatment of gays and lesbians.