Founder Of Gay Straight Alliance At Bellevue East Receives Scholarship

[Omaha Steve]

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/03/20/49c3423a0cc19

March 20, 2009

Senior Ashley Moffat of Bellevue East, founder of the school’s Gay Straight Alliance is one of 16 high school students chosen by the national ACLU to receive a $12,500 “Youth Activist Scholarship” for her work in establishing the GSA despite fierce opposition.

“The GSA had to come to ACLU Nebraska to receive recognition of their constitutional rights,” said ACLU Nebraska Legal Director Amy Miller. “This is frequently a problem when a school violates the rights of students: it takes a tough and knowledgeable kid to stand up for themselves and seek the help of an organization like ACLU. We can’t do our work without students like Ashley.”

The battle to win GSA recognition took almost two years, but Bellevue East High School resolved the matter earlier this spring when it allowed the GSA to have a picture in the yearbook.

“No matter what I have to do, who I have to fight, or how long I have to fight it, I know I will not stop fighting until I, my friends, my family have all the same rights as everyone else,” Moffat said.

The other scholarship recipients were high school students from Alaska, California, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington state, Washington DC and Wisconsin.

ACLU Nebraska will also receive a grant of $5,000 to maintain youth outreach work.

[tbyg52]

1. Wonderful!

:applause: :patriot:

[dsc]

2. I am so proud of Ashley

it took a lot of courage to do that.

[nichomachus]

3. It figures the ACLU would reward one of its operatives for promoting the gay agenda

:sarcasm:

On a serious note -- good for her. What a brave thing to do in the face of overwhelming odds.

[foxfeet]

4. Brava, Ashley!

:applause: