Kalaheo High launches
gay-straight club

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

The first Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) established at a Hawaii public school has been chartered at Kalaheo High School in Kailua -- the result of persistent students and faculty collaboration.

"I think it's really going to benefit a lot of people, whether heterosexual or homosexual," said Kalaheo senior Maile Shay-Mountain, president and co-founder of the new club.

The alliance's goal is to create a safe school environment for all students and end anti-gay bias, said Nancy Kern, co-chairwoman of the Hawaii Safe Schools Coalition.

Kalaheo Principal James Schlosser, who rejected several student proposals for a GSA before agreeing to a school-sponsored club, said the purpose -- "to promote a supportive educational environment" -- falls within the mission of the school and Department of Education.

He said he told the faculty, "What we're doing is simply implementing the Constitution of the United States" as well as following the advice of the state Attorney General's Office and civil rights compliance officer.

Kern said such alliances have formed since 1989 in more than 1,000 schools and 46 states -- a number that doubled in slightly more than a year. She hopes Kalaheo's success in organizing a GSA will encourage staff and students at other schools to establish their own organizations.

But it was "a long row to hoe" for Kalaheo's students, said Sue Reardon, co-faculty advisor with Marc Murdock.

"These kids have not given up. They have not taken 'no' for an answer. They just keep going. I'm very proud of them."

She said two students talked to her in September 2001 about starting a club, but their proposal was rejected by the school administration.

Four more students submitted a new club constitution in February. It also was rejected, she said.

"The kids requested a meeting with the principal, and some brought their parents, their grandparents, their minister. It was pretty amazing."

Based on DOE regulations on student activities, Schlosser said he told the students they could go ahead with a GSA with "noncurricular status," meaning they could not have an advisor, raise funds or use the school logo.

Reardon said that was not acceptable to the students, and they met again during the summer to strategize. The group included 13 members -- male, female, gay and straight.

They sought legal advice from the American Civil Liberties Union and from an attorney for the GSA on the mainland, she said.

ACLU legal director Brent White wrote a letter to Schlosser, asking for a response within 10 days.

Schlosser requested some changes in the club's constitution because he felt one of the stated purposes "could be interpreted as advocacy of a lifestyle."

Schlosser said, "We do have some students who probably don't understand this very well, but we have a lot of students who just want an environment where kids accept kids, where kids are supportive of other kids whether they're tall, short, thin, white, black or yellow."

Shay-Mountain said, "I've known a lot of gay people in my life. I have a lot of gay friends, and people are so mean about it. They're ignorant and say these hurtful words. ... I really wanted to provide a safe and educational environment for gays and straight students."

Schlosser said one parent called to express concern. "My goal is to help parents understand, the purpose of this is to promote a supportive educational environment," he said, stressing that it is unacceptable to ostracize or discriminate against any kids.

He said he regards the new club as another measure of the school's strength of diversity.