The ACLU filed the federal lawsuit in November 2006 after students at Okeechobee High School were denied access to meet on campus by their principal, Toni Wiersma. This is a clear victory for the students, for the Okeechobee GSA and indeed for all high school students in Florida," said Robert Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida LGBT Advocacy Project. "These are brave students who would not be silenced and did not tolerate discrimination. So many children cannot stand up for themselves, but hopefully this ruling will serve as warning to other Florida schools that equal access truly means equal access, and schools that choose not to follow the law will be inviting similar litigation." "Judge Moore's ruling that GSAs are beneficial to gay students and that they don't harm straight students is unparalleled. In the order, the court grants students in the GSA "all the rights and privileges granted to other noncurricular groups." The victory is the second federal student rights case won by the ACLU of Florida and the national ACLU this summer. In a first-of-its-kind ruling, Moore held that schools must provide for the well-being of gay students to the same extent as straight students and therefore the school may not discriminate against the GSA. She added, "All we've ever wanted was to have a club to talk about tolerance and harassment so we can try to make our school a better place for all students." "I can't tell you how happy I am that the judge agreed we have a right to create a safe space for gay students at my school," said Brittany Martin, a 17-year-old upcoming senior at OHS who is the GSA's president. Michael Moore upheld his earlier ruling that GSAs do not interfere with abstinence-only education and, in a legal first, held that schools must provide for the well-being of gay students. In a precedent setting order arising in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, Judge K.
ACLU Prevails On First Amendment, Equal Access GroundsĬONTACT: or FL – A Florida federal court today ruled that school officials in Okeechobee, Florida must allow a gay-straight alliance (GSA) club to meet on campus.