The Lake County School Board is still considering eliminating all extra-curricular clubs, rather than allowing students to form a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).
The Board held a second discussion on the issue Feb. 11, where nearly a dozen people spoke in favor of keeping clubs and allowing the GSA.
At a previous workshop Feb. 4, the Board first talked about the rules for student clubs and most members stated that they would prefer to limit student groups in secondary schools.
The discussion follows an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) request to allow a Lake County Middle School student to create a GSA at her middle school.
On Jan. 23, the ACLU sent a letter to Lake County School Board attorney Stephen Johnson, demanding the district follow through on a request by Carver Middle School student Bayli Silberstein to “confront bullying, educate the school community, and promote acceptance and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students” via the formation of a GSA.
According to the letter. Silberstein has been asking school officials whether her request has been denied and if so, would they provide reasons in writing. The request was submitted in early November, and Silberstein and her friend have had a conversation with Principal Mollie Cunningham, “who acknowledged the potential utility of the club but indicated that she needed to consult with the school board.”
Rather than denying the request, the letter states that school officials have been simply ignoring Silberstein.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, school Board members Bill Mathias, Debbie Stivender and Chairwoman Kyleen Fischer spoke in favor of a rule that would ban extra-curricular clubs in secondary schools while fellow board members Tod Howard and Rosanne Brandeburg favored banning extra-curricular clubs only in middle schools.
As of press time, the District did not respond to questions regarding when there will be a final decision on the issue.
