Crowd Debates Proposed Gay Club at High School

About 300 Orange Unified School District parents and students argued late into the night Tuesday over the proposed formation of a gay/straight club at El Modena High School.

The crowd appeared equally divided over the controversial club, which would be the first of its kind in the district. “There needs to be a safe haven for all students,” said Maryina Herde, a teacher at the high school who has volunteered to be the gay club’s advisor. “This has nothing to do with sex. It has everything to do with respectful treatment for all students; it is their constitutional right, and it’s my constitutional right.”

Others, however, argued strongly that such a club could be used to impose a particular point of view on their children.

“I say let me and my wife take our children aside and be with them and counsel them,” said Jack McNiff, a parent who said he has four sons attending schools in the district. “This does not belong in the school system.”

While reviewing proposed campus clubs is generally a routine process for trustees, they said they decided to hold the public forum on this one to get feedback from the community regarding the controversial proposal by the Gay-Straight Alliance.

Board members were notified of a student’s intent to form the club Oct. 1, a day before Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill protecting gay high school and college students from harassment by classmates.

According to the proposed organization’s mission statement, the new club’s goal would be to “raise public awareness and promote tolerance by providing a safe forum for discussion of issues related to sexual orientation and homophobia.”