Attempt to start Straight Pride club at Bloomington North raises concerns

The idea to create the Straight Pride club came from a small group of students, and the organization would have started in the 2015-16 school year, according to a statement released by North principal Jeff Henderson. He said North teacher Rex Morgan was approached about sponsoring the group.

“Mr. Morgan’s conversation with these students centered around the establishment of a club, which was a faith-based student alliance allowing any student to become a member. Mr. Morgan indicated that any new club would need to stand on its own merits and not solely as a response to or in opposition to any other student group,” Henderson said in the statement. “Students brought this idea forward to the administration and had initially indicated the club would also include specific supports for heterosexual students.”

According to Henderson, the school could not refuse to allow the Straight Pride group to form.

“Federal law is clear; if we allow student-led groups to meet, as long as their actions do not create a substantial disruption to the educational process and they don’t violate any school rules or laws, we must allow them those freedoms. So, just as we allow members of Fellowship of Christian Athletes to gather around the flag pole on ‘Rally Around the Pole Day’ to participate in a student-led prayer, and allow students to participate in the ‘National Day of Silence,’ we must provide equal opportunity for all student-led groups, as long as they follow the guidelines established by the school,” he said in an email.