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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gays slammed in
school paper
Some say Kell
student's argument against
same-sex marriage
should have been censored.
By DIANE R. STEPP,
ajc.com from the Web, October 2, 2007
An editorial in a Kell High inaugural
student publication characterizing homosexuals as victims of reproductive error
or an unusual upbringing has caused a storm of controversy among some students
and faculty on the north central Cobb campus.
The opinion piece written by student Thomas Benjamin suggests that gays should
be denied the privilege of marrying.
Sophomore Kurt Webster said Monday he was surprised the student paper chose to
publish such a controversial article. "It should not have been in the
paper," he said. "It could hurt people's feelings."
Principal Trudie Donovan said Monday that she had reviewed the article before it
was published last Friday, but said she had no authority to censor it. "My
job is the safety and security of the school, not censorship," she said.
Cobb County schools spokesman Jay Dillon said principals have no legal standing
to say articles of student opinion can't be printed.
Under court rulings and school district policy, students can express their
opinions and ideas publicly, privately, orally and in writing. "There may
be no interference with that, even if a student's opinion is unpopular," he
said.
Exceptions might include obscenities or something that might cause a riot at
school, Dillon said. "In such cases, she [Donovan] would be protected in
censoring materials. "
The opinion piece appeared in Friday's debut edition of the Inkwell, titled,
"Homosexuality: Beyond the Bible." In it, Benjamin slams gays not on
religious or Biblical grounds but, he said, based on science and logic.
"I realize biology commits many reproductive errors. Homosexuality can be
one of them," he wrote.
Junior Allison Koons said that although she is not offended by the content of
the opinion piece, she was "shocked" to see it in the paper.
Kell junior Stephen Davis said the Inkwell editors should have asked gay
students about the opinion piece before publishing it.
Teacher Lisa Jordan said, "Some of the kids are upset about it." She said
that perhaps the paper will print another side of the issue in its next issue.
Dillon said that will likely be the case.
In December 2004 in Gwinnett County, Berkmar High Principal Kendall Johnson
directed that a pair of editorials written for the school's student newspaper
dealing with homosexuality be yanked.
The missing editorials had been written about a new club for heterosexual and
homosexual teens called the Gay Lesbian and Straight Society. School
system officials said Johnson ordered the student editorials removed because he
believed they could have caused a stir at Berkmar during exam time.
Gwinnett schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach said the "point-counterpoint"
editorials were "inflammatory in nature and could be disruptive. People
have very strong feelings about this issue," she said at the time.
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