After their requests to hold meetings on school grounds were twice denied, members of the Boyd County [Ky.] High School gay-straight alliance are preparing for their first meeting.
On Monday the school's six-member parent-teacher council voted 3-2 to allow the group to hold meetings at the rural 990-student high school. Twice this year the council unanimously rejected the alliance's requests to meet at the school. Last month the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the parent-teacher council saying that under the federal Equal Access Act, the alliance must be allowed to use school facilities if other noncurricular groups have access.
Monday's vote sparked an hour-long discussion, during which some parents threatened to remove their children from the school and others threatened legal action.
Alliance members say they are looking forward to this week's meeting. "I'm very excited and happy," said alliance member Lena Reese, 15, a Catlettsburg sophomore. "I really hope that it makes more people in the area and state speak up and try and get chapters in their areas. Maybe we'll set the pace."
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