Pacific Views

Another of those 'special rights' that lesbians and gay men have so many of.

This particular one is being enjoyed by Charlene Nguon, a high school student in Garden Grove, California. Her special right is getting kicked out of school because she's a lesbian.

According to a lawsuit filed on her behalf by the ACLU, Nguon was suspended from school for being publicly affectionate with her girlfriend (hugging and kissing) and was ultimately forced by an administrator to transfer to another school. Her high school, says the ACLU, does not bar hugging and kissing by heterosexual students.

Nguon, now a senior, began dating her girlfriend in fall 2004 at Santiago High School. The lawsuit alleges the pair was repeatedly disciplined for displaying public affection despite the fact that their behavior is not prohibited in the school's student handbook. Eventually, Principal Ben Wolf told Nguon's mother about the relationship, and, in March, said the two teens had to attend different schools, according to the lawsuit.

Shortly before the end of her junior year, Nguon transferred to Bolsa Grande High School, increasing her commute from a short walk to a 4 1/2 -mile bike ride, according to the lawsuit.

Nguon, who hopes to attend Stanford University and study international relations, had been a straight-A student in the top 5% of her class at Santiago High. But the commute to the new school, coupled with changing courses midyear, caused Nguon's grades to drop, according to the suit.

"Unfortunately, for Principal Ben Wolf and other staff at Santiago High, all of Charlene's accomplishments and exemplary qualities are overshadowed by one fact: that she is a lesbian," the lawsuit alleges. "... during this past school year, Charlene's junior year, Principal Wolf has repeatedly punished Charlene and derailed her academic success, all because she dared to be openly lesbian on campus."

The ACLU's press release on Nguon's case [which contains links to many documents submitted to the US District Court] is here.

Via LA Times.

Posted by Magpie at September 8, 2005 11:46 AM | GLBT | TrackBack(2) | Technorati links |