Girls Suspended for Kissing

Two girls trying to draw attention to the discrimination and abuse experienced by gay and lesbian students have become the object of attention themselves - far more attention than they intended. Given an assignment for English class to do something "non-conformist," they decided to kiss in the school cafeteria - and that got them suspended.

Eric Johnston reports:

River Hill administrators suspended the two girls from school for two days. School officials said the girls were suspended because they disrupted the "orderly operation" of the school. [Stephanie] Haaser may also face disqualification from the National Honor Society. According to David Cordts, associate director for the National Honor Society, it will be up to the local chapter to determine whether to eject Haaser. Cordts said, however, there are no "automatic" dismissals, and each member is guaranteed due process.

A kiss qualifies as disruptive to the "orderly operation" of the school? What about holding hands? Do they do the same when they catch a boy and a girl kissing? Probably not - which just goes to prove the girls' point that gays and lesbians are discriminated against. The suspension was absurd and ridiculous. Overzealous and overbearing administrators really need to stop and think before they go around proving just how overbearing and authoritarian they really are.

As for the National Honor Society... I was a member when I was in high school and right now I'm embarrassed that there is even the chance that the one girl could be kicked out because of this. If my name is on the rolls somewhere and if Hasser is kicked out, I'll want my name taken off whatever records they have. I don't want to be associated with any group, not matter how tangentially, that allows their chapters to treat people that way.

Read More:

• Recent Books on Free Speech
• Court Decisions on Free Speech and Censorship