Student barred over objection to 'gay' teacher

When a Washington student objected to having a homosexual teach his sex education class, the school district attempted to punish the student by barring his reenrollment, but now a judge has sided with the student.

The student, Lucas Schrader, had been enrolled in Kent Mt. View Academy, a charter school in the Kent School District near Seattle, for three years. Schrader's parents were required to apply each year for his admission to the school because they live in another district, according to the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, which is representing the family.

"Mr. Schrader is a concerned parent whose child was punished merely because he expressed concerns about the wisdom of having a homosexual teacher assigned to teach sex education to sixth graders," said Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the AFA.

At the end of the previous school year, the student's father learned that a homosexual teacher had been assigned to teach a sex education class for this fall and expressed his concerns to Debbie Dempsey, Kent Mt. View Academy's principal.

Dempsey responded by denying the Schraders' application for reenrollment for this school year, AFA said.

Administrative Law Judge Cindy L. Burdue found "the principal's denial of the parents' application was based entirely upon the statements of [the father] to the principal."

The judge, ordering Lucas Schrader to be admitted to the school, wrote, "The principal, as far as the evidence shows, made up a policy and followed it as she went in this matter."

"It is unfortunate how reactionary some school administrators become whenever parents express concerns about homosexuality," Fahling said. "I hope the Schraders' willingness to stand up against this type of heavy-handedness will encourage other parents to do the same."