Second Chance for GLBT Outcast High School

By Hunter Clauss in News on Nov 18, 2008 9:30PM

It looks like Chicago’s first high school for GLBT students may not be back in the closet after all. Last month, a plan to open Pride Campus of Social Justice High School was shot down by Mayor Daley over concerns that the school amounted to segregation. The plan, however, has now been revived and retooled. Pride Campus will now be called Social Justice Solidarity High School and will allow kids who are bullied for other reasons. “They wanted to try and make sure that the scope was broadened so that kids who are isolated for other issues, whether that be religion, obesity or other things that kids get teased about...have a spot at that school too,” said Chicago Public Schools spokesman Michael Vaughen to the Chicago Tribune.

The last time we checked, fat people could still get married and lose weight. Homosexuals can't get married nor change what they are. But what's the point of having a GLBT high school if religion is also a determining factor as to who gets admitted? We doubt CPS will put GLBT students in the same classrooms as, say, Mormons, but some gay activists aren't exactly happy about the school's broad approach. Andy Thayor, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network, says the new plan doesn’t measure up to the needs of GLBT students, which is mainly providing a safe haven. To be fair, however, providing a safe environment for any student seems to be a huge problem these days for CPS.

The new plan is scheduled for a vote tomorrow.

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