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Lawyer: Courts would oppose ban on St. Tammany Parish gay group By AP from the Times Picayune on the Web, April 23, 2004 COVINGTON, La. -- Opponents of a gay-themed high school club in St. Tammany Parish collected 1,300 signatures to shut it down, but a school board lawyer said courts would probably block the attempt. Lawyer Harry Pastuzek said similar groups have been victorious in six of seven federal cases. "I'm here to tell you (the case) is of no value to this board," Pastuzek said. But opponents of Fontainebleau High School's Gay/Straight Alliance said the board should not be afraid of groups — such as the American Civil Liberties Union — that have defended the club. "Let's show the nation we're not fearful of the ACLU but we are fearful of our Lord," resident Gloria Ronkasky told the board. Patrick Rico, a parent of a Fontainebleau student, presented the petition to the board on Thursday. The board's human resources committee took no action on the issue Thursday. Members received a draft of a districtwide policy that would regulate clubs at the school system's seven high schools. The issue will likely again come to the forefront at the next school board committee meeting May 6 when the new policy, which relies heavily on the Equal Access Act passed by Congress in 1984, will be discussed. "All of us in the school system are struggling with this," superintendent Gayle Sloan said. Sloan said high school principals want more guidance from the board on how to oversee the formation of clubs in their schools. She added: "If we passed this we would have every club reapply based on the new policies and procedures." The school system allowed formation of the Gay/Straight Alliance earlier this year after it met the criteria set at the school. Parents and other residents opposed to the gay club quickly called for its dissolution. Board members asked the system in March to report back to them on every high school club in the parish.
Information From: http://WWW.TIMESPICAYUNE.COM
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