Gay student banned from wearing rainbow

[ccharles000]

(Peoria, Arizona) A 14-year-old Peoria student says he was ordered by a principal to turn his rainbow wristband inside-out or stop wearing it to school.

The cloth wristband has words “Rainbows are gay” on it.

Chris Quintanilla says it is the latest in several anti-gay experiences he has had at the school. After nothing was done, his mother went to the American Civil Liberties Union.

In a letter sent this week to Peoria Unified School District, the ACLU said that the principal violated Quintanilla’s constitutional rights, pointing to a 40-year-old landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing students’ free speech and expression.

“When I asked my son’s principal why he wouldn’t be allowed to wear his wristband to school anymore, he said some teachers found it offensive,” said Natali Quintanilla, mother of the eighth grader.

“My son is honest and happy about who he is, and I love him and support his right to be himself. There are a lot of things teachers should be more concerned about than one little wristband – like educating our children.”

Quintanilla said that her son was harassed for being gay earlier this school year. When she asked to the principal to do something to prevent the harassment she said she was told “If he didn’t put it out there the way he does, he wouldn’t have much of a problem.”

http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-student-banned-from-wearing-rainbow/

[LostinVA]

1. Good for her being a great mom

[FLAprogressive]

2. Thumbs down for the asshole principal!

[msongs]

3. record all conversations with school officials nt

[roody]

4. Chances are, this young man gets high test scores.