A 16-year-old lesbian filed a lawsuit against DeSoto County High School for the district’s decision to discipline her for participating in the Day of Silence last fall. The April day is a way for students and teachers to call attention to the silencing effects of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools.
Now, the student, Amber Hatcher, has the support of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
“DeSoto County Schools is practicing the very kind of harassment and discrimination the Day of Silence is designed to address in schools,” said Dr. Aliza Byard, GLSEN executive director. “By participating in the Day of Silence, students across the country are directing attention to the reality that LGBT youth experience a disproportionate amount of bullying and harassment in schools.
According to GLSEN, Hatcher wore a shirt in support of the day last April and spent the day communicating via a dry erase board. She was warned by principal Shannon Fusco that she would face “ramifications” if she continued her participation and when she appealed to former superintendent Adrian Cline, he refused a meeting.
Eventually Hatcher was suspended for her participation.
On Feb. 26, Lambda Legal filed papers in court arguing the DeSoto County School Board of Education violated Hatcher’s First Amendment rights, which has been previously shown to support a student’s free speech. Phone calls seeking a response from DeSoto County Schools were not immediately returned to Watermark.
