BOONE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY APPROVES GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE AFTER MORE THAN THREE MONTHS OF DELAYS

Students at Boone County High School in Northern Kentucky celebrated victory after members of the Boone County High School Site-Based Council unanimously approved the formation of an in-school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) last night.

The Boone County High School was under direct threat of being sued by the Kentucky Equality Association for delaying the formation of the club for over 3 months.

The victory however belongs to Nick Herweck, a student at Boone County High School, and a senior member of the Kentucky Equality Association.

Herweck had an unprecedented amount of support from organizations and groups across two states, including the AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky University’s Pride Alliance, Northern Kentucky University’s Common Ground, Cincinnati’s Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a representative from Social Services, various community members, and the Kentucky Fairness Alliance filled the commons area of the school to support the formation of the Boone County High School Gay-Straight Alliance.

"It was both remarkable and wonderful to see various groups and organizations from two states in the same room to support such a wonderful cause; to make sure our gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and questioning teenagers have a school club were they are accepted, and can talk freely in a non-threatening environment," stated Jordan Palmer, President of the Kentucky Equality Association. "Nick Herweck sets a positive example for all teenagers in being responsible and active environmentally, socially, academically, and politically; Nick is remarkable in every measurable sense of the word."

Kentucky School Accused Of Dragging Feet On Gay Club

A Kentucky LGBT civil rights group is urging a Florence high school to stop delaying the approval of a Gay-Straight Alliance.

The Kentucky Equality Association said Thursday that LGBT students at Boone County High School are the victims of discrimination. The organization also said that the school's action may be illegal under the Kentucky Education Reform Act.

In a letter to the school the Association reminded it that the Federal Equal Access Act requires schools to treat GSAs as they would any other school group.

Included in the letter was an information packet about GSAs entitled Just the Facts that has been endorsed by a number of professional groups including the American Association of School Administrators, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Psychological Association.

While the school has delayed making a decision on whether it will allow a GSA to organize it has approved 16 other clubs including one dedicated to the animated cartoon, Anime.

A GSA provides a place for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to sexual orientation, and work to end homophobia. Many GSAs function as a support group and provide safety and confidentiality to students who are struggling with their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

GSAs are in schools across the country. In areas where school boards have attempted to block them Federal courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of the students. Recent cases were in Utah, California and Indiana.

In 2004 a Federal judge ruled in favor of students that wanted to organize a GSA in another Kentucky community. As part of the settlement to end the case the Boyd County school district agreed to establish required anti-harassment training for all students.

Last March a judge ruled that students opposed to homosexuality could not opt out of the course.

Boone County High School has not replied to the most recent allegations from the Kentucky Equality Association.

Gay Rights Battle Goes To Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher will be met by LGBT civil rights protestors when he hosts the annual Kentucky Derby Breakfast.

The Kentucky Equality Association will lead the silent protest march outside the May 6th event.

Fletcher angered the Association by not vetoing funding to the University of the Cumberlands, a Baptist school that expelled a student it learned was gay, and when Fletcher removed protections for LGBT civil servants from an Executive Order signed by his predecessor.

The Kentucky Fairness Alliance has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the $11 million grant to the university and earlier this week Democratic lawmakers announced their support.

Both the Equality Association and the Fairness Alliance believe the grant violates the separation of church and state provision in the state constitution.

Jason Johnson, 20, was expelled April 6 after posting his sexual orientation on a Web site. The dean's list student received all Fs on his transcript when he was expelled. (story) Following public outrage the university agreed to allow Johnson to send in work to finish his courses and receive final grades. But he remains barred from the campus.'

Last month Fletcher rescinded an executive order signed in 2003 by then-Gov. Paul Patton that provided protections for LGBT state workers and replaced it with a new one excluding the gay protections.

Fletcher signed the new order at a "Diversity Day" event attended by hundreds of children. Asked by a reporter about the omission Fletcher said he was just following federal non-bias standards, which do not include sexuality.

Derby Breakfast guests include protesters

A group of 20 protesters displaying placards stood quietly on the periphery of the Governors Derby Breakfast this morning to register their criticism of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's decision not to veto $11 million for a pharmacy school and scholarships at the Baptist-affiliated University of the Cumberlands.

Jordan Palmer of Covington, president of the Kentucky Equality Association, said the protesters were challenging Fletcher's refusal to veto the appropriation because the university had kicked out Jason Johnson, a student from Lexington, last month for disclosing on a website that he was gay.

They discriminated against homosexuals, Palmer said of the dismissal by the private Williamsburg college.

Palmer said numerous people came by to express their support for the protest, which was at the southeast corner of Capitol Avenue and Todd Street, on the edge of the Capitol grounds. Only a very few voiced any hostility, he said, and there were no incidents.

After a 45-minute hand-shaking tour of the breakfast, Fletcher told reporters he was not bothered that the protesters were on hand.

We welcome everyone to express their First Amendment rights, Fletcher said. I would hope they'd feel welcome to come in and have a good breakfast and feel more amicable.

Palmer, a registered Republican who voted for Fletcher, said he would not accept the invitation because I don't want to have breakfast and be around the governor.

Palmer said he thinks the governor violated the state constitution because he did not veto the appropriation from coal severance money for the proposed pharmacy building and scholarships for its students.

Fletcher's administration is asking Franklin Circuit Court to determine whether the appropriation violates the state Constitutions prohibition against giving state money to religious schools. An estimated 15,000 people attended the breakfast and strolled the Capitol grounds to hear entertainment groups and visit exhibits.

Protest outside Governor's Derby breakfast

Nearly 20 gay-rights activists stood Saturday morning near the state Capitol during the Governor's Derby breakfast to protest Gov. Ernie Fletchers decision not to veto $11 million in funding for a planned pharmacy program at the University of the Cumberlands.

The private Baptist school in Williamsburg kicked out a student for being gay.

Members of the Kentucky Equality Association, which was formed in November, wore stickers saying, Second Class Citizen, and others held signs saying, "God Made Me Gay," and "Don't Fund Hate."

Fletcher said he wasn't aware of the protest but said he welcomed them. I wish they'd come in and have a little breakfast. Maybe they'd feel a little more amicable, he said.

Jordan Palmer, association president, said no thanks.

I don't want to go in and have breakfast. I don't want to be around the governor, said Palmer, a Republican hotel owner from Covington.

Palmer said he voted for Fletcher and supported him until he withdrew job protections for gay and lesbian state workers and decided not to veto the funding for the University of the Cumberlands.

Gay Protest Goes To The Nags

Gay rights advocates dogged Gov. Ernie Fletcher at the state's biggest nag race - the Kentucky Derby. About 20 demonstrators were on hand Saturday morning as Fletcher hosted the Governors Derby Breakfast.

Fletcher angered the Kentucky Equality Association by not vetoing $ 11 million in funding to the University of the Cumberlands, a Baptist school that expelled a student it learned was gay, and when Fletcher removed protections for LGBT civil servants from an Executive Order signed by his predecessor.

As the group demonstrated in front of the Capitol a number of people stopped to express their support. An estimated 15,000 people attended the breakfast on the Capitol grounds.

Fletcher told reporters he was not concerned about the demonstration. We welcome everyone to express their First Amendment rights, Fletcher said. I would hope theyd feel welcome to come in and have a good breakfast and feel more amicable.

But Equality Association president Jordan Palmer was in no mood for sharing ham, eggs and biscuits with the governor. "I dont want to have breakfast and be around the governor, said Palmer, a registered Republican who voted for Fletcher.

Last month Fletcher rescinded an executive order signed in 2003 by then-Gov. Paul Patton that provided protections for LGBT state workers and replaced it with a new one excluding the gay protections.

Fletcher signed the new order at a "Diversity Day" event attended by hundreds of children. Asked by a reporter about the omission Fletcher said he was just following federal non-bias standards, which do not include sexuality.

Advocacy group to Gov. Fletcher: Veto funding to University of the Cumberlands

The Kentucky Equality Organization has joined the Kentucky Fairness Alliance in calling on Governor Ernie Fletcher to veto the $11 million dollars currently allocated to the University of the Cumberlands. The college recently expelled a student for revealing his sexual orientation on the social networking web site myspace.com.

According to the Kentucky Constitution, sending funds to this school could be illegal. Section 189 of Kentucky's Constitution states: "No portion of any fund or tax now existing, or that may hereafter be raised or levied for educational purposes, shall be appropriated to, or used by, or in aid of, any church, sectarian or denominational school."

The University of the Cumberlands is not a public college; it is a private college associated with the Southern Baptist Convention and is clearly not open to all citizens of the commonwealth.

Association founder and President Jordan Palmer stated that he had been very supportive of the governor in the past, but failure to veto funding for the university might change that. “I don’t see how the governor could possibly not veto the funding for the university in the budget, approving it would be unconstitutional,” Palmer said. “I realize that the governor is a Baptist Christian, and I personally have no objection to funding schools that are spiritual as long as the school follows Biblical teachings, and those teachings tell us not to judge others, and to follow “The Greatest Commandment” as stated in Mark 12:28 – 12:34,” stated Palmer. “The Greatest Commandment tells us to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It also says to love your neighbor as yourself.”

Palmer, whose father is a minister, also attended a Methodist High School. He founded the Kentucky Equality Association in November 2005. The Kentucky Equality Association currently has more than 1,300 members and supporters throughout the commonwealth.