WEST BEND, Wis. – Two students have filed a federal lawsuit after the West Bend School Board rejected a request to recognize the Gay-Straight Alliance chapter as a school club.
The lawsuit claims the school district is violating the students’ freedom of speech and is denying equal access.
WISN-TV reports (http://bit.ly/lDpYUj) the school board rejected the club status earlier this week in a close vote. School board president Randy Marquardt said Friday he voted against sponsoring the alliance chapter because of guidelines recently developed by school administrators. Marquardt says one of the guidelines is that a club must have a connection to school curriculum – another is that it have a broad base of appeal.
Marquardt says the alliance can still use school facilities to meet, but won’t be a sponsored club.
Information from: WISN-TV, http://www.wisn.com
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