After learning a student was a lesbian, a prestigious school in Connecticut asked her to leave. Now more than 13,000 people are calling on the school to adopt an anti-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
SIMSBURY, CT — More than 10,000 people have joined a campaign on Change.org calling on the Master's School in Simsbury, Connecticut, to pass a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
The news comes after the Master's School, a Christian high school in West Simsbury, Connecticut, asked a 17-year-old girl to leave the school after she revealed she is a lesbian.
"No student should ever be kicked out of a school because of their sexual orientation or gender identity," said Greg Plotikin, who grew up in Simsbury and launched the campaign on Change.org . "Doing so is not only morally wrong, but it can be dangerous... This behavior will be an invitation to bullies that LGBT people are less important than non-LGBT people. No one should be bullied at school."
The popularity of Plotkin's petition on Change.org is adding pressure to the school's administration to pass a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
Susan Campbell, a columnist for the Hartford Courent broke the story about the student. In a follow-up column, Campbell wrote about all the letters of support she received for the student.
"What I didn't expect was the amount of support," she wrote. "I couldn't keep up with the emails from people who wanted to tell [her] to keep on keeping on. People from around the country as well as Canada and Ireland wrote to tell her that she is an inspiration. I heard from ministers, mothers, gay, lesbian, straight adults who wanted [the student] to know that she is not alone."
"What Greg Plotkin has been able to achieve in just a week is just remarkable," said Change.org Organizing Manager Joe Mirabella. "Change.org is about empowering anyone, anywhere to demand action on the issues that matter to them. Greg Plotkin's campaign to protect LGBT students from discrimination is yet another example of how people are using this people-powered platform to stand up for LGBT rights."
Live signature totals from Greg Plotkin's "The Master's School: Stop kicking out gay and lesbian students!" campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-masters-school-stop-kicking-out-gay-and-lesbian-students
Hartford Courent: "A Student's Honesty Cost Her a Place at this Christian School"
http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-campbell-rachel-0907-20110907,0,4902441.column
Jezebel: School Kicks Out Teen For Being Gay
jezebel.com/5838437/school-kicks-out-teen-for-being-gay