West Virginia: Winfield High reverses course, allows LGBT club

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Winfield High reverses course, allows LGBT club

Monday, November 17, 2014
By Mackenzie Mays, Staff writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In an abrupt change, Winfield High School is now home to a Gay-Straight Alliance club. ... Putnam County Schools spokeswoman Rudi Raynes said the club was created Monday, despite Principal Bruce McGrew’s concerns last week that allowing such a group would promote bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students instead of preventing it.

“We are not going to violate any students’ civil rights by any means. There are a number of clubs where students get to express their personal beliefs, and if that’s one of those beliefs, that’s totally understandable,” Raynes said. “We are not going to discriminate against any students.” ... Raynes said a Gay-Straight Alliance club had not been allowed because there were no teachers available to sponsor it.

McGrew told the Gazette on Friday that an LGBT club did not exist because no teachers offered to chaperon it, in addition to his concerns that “if you bring attention to that sort of thing, it’s going to create bullying.” ... However, several Winfield High students and parents told the Gazette Monday that a handful of teachers have offered to lead a Gay-Straight Alliance since students first proposed it.

Winfield student Jamie Herman was one of the students to approach McGrew about the start of an LGBT club, and said she knows of at least three teachers who were willing to sponsor a GSA. ... Herman said she’s witnessed bullying firsthand and just last month reported to school administrators that a student harassed another student, allegedly shouting in the hallway, “Take that makeup off of your face, you faggot.” ... To her knowledge, Herman said, the student did not receive any punishment.
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Reach Mackenzie Mays at [e-mail], 304-348-4814 or follow @MackenzieMays on Twitter.