Possible Gay Straight Alliance club formation leads to protests
Board of Education, Fannin County High, News September 26, 2019
BLUE RIDGE, GA – The possible formation of a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club at Fannin County High School has led to online protests and a petition with nearly 1,000 signatures.
An online petition against the formation of a Gay Straight Alliance club at Fannin County High has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures.
The petition is called “Don’t Let Homosexuality Be Pushed on Students in Fannin County” and is in direct response to the possible formation of the GSA.
The petition was posted earlier this week under the name Emily Deal, and the description states that two students were trying to begin the GSA club and the only way to stop it was “by having everyone stand up against it. Some students have even gone as far as saying they would drop out of school if this does go through. … They won’t let us bring religion into the schools, so why is it ok to bring this into schools?”
It also states that there are three steps to creating a club: “a teacher to sponsor and at least ten people who say they would join. The next step is to take it to the principal. Then the principal must approve it.”
The author of the petition has not yet been confirmed.
Fannin County High Principal Erik Cioffi issued a letter Sept. 25 outlining the school’s requirements to form a new club.
Principal Erik Cioffi released a letter dated Sept. 25 to “address the comments/petitions regarding the interest of a new club on the campus of FCHS.” He does not directly mention the possible GSA club.
Cioffi related that there are five criteria to become a club on campus. The club must be (1) student initiated, (2) have a certified teacher as a sponsor, (3) have goals and purpose, (4) have a minimum number of 10 participants, and (5) meet on school grounds and be supervised.
He went on to say that “not every club will appeal to every student. Participation in any club at FCHS has not ever been or will ever be pushed on any student. That is why they are all voluntary and not mandatory.”
Cioffi also wrote that “FCHS will not discriminate against any club that has followed the guidelines to form; otherwise, we would not be able to provide any clubs that so many of our students participate in and enjoy being a part of on a daily basis.”
FetchYourNews.com will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as they are available.
Fannin County High Principal Erik Cioffi released a letter Sept. 25 outlining the requirements to form a club at the school.
27 Comments
You should mention the fact that there’s also a petition in favor of the club that’s got (at the time of this writing) about 300 signatures MORE than the one that’s against the club. Do a simple search on change.org for ‘fannin county’ and you can see both of them.
I am totally against this!!! Some students may join out of curiosity and be tricked into this lifestyle. I say No!!!! YOU don’t allow GOD or the Bible in your school so DON’T allow THIS!!!
“Tricked into this lifestyle”
Right?! Like it’s something people are trying to recruit members for . #straightastheycome #Christian STILL BELIEVE #yourebornthisway
I think you are stereotyping a young child when you gets clubs like this . You are a human being . Do not classify straight or gay . That isnt what makes you , YOU . If you find you need to talk to someone their are groups for this , but school isnt the place . So when you decide to vote yes to this group you are setting yourself up for disappointments in life . Be You , please dont put yourself into a club that is stereotyping you as a LABEL and not a PERSON who can find programs for your needs outside of the school system along with your parents . P flag is one you can go too .I vote No to this club . Thank you , N. Howard
It reads the GSA petition is against homosexuality being pushed on students. How is it being pushed on students? In what ways?
I don’t think the people signing this actually believe that homosexuality is being forced on anyone. The title of the petition is meant to grab eyeballs, not to be honest or accurate. The actual text of the petition is a bit tamer: “By signing this you simply state that you do not agree with this club” …with the implication that clubs you disagree with should not be allowed to exist.
The conservative viewpoint here is that homosexuality is both a sin and a choice. Therefore, conservatives would say this club normalizes sin and will trick innocent young souls into eternal damnation by encouraging a sinful “choice”. The thing being “pushed” onto students is the acceptance and tolerance of sinful behaviors being practiced by others, openly and without shame.
Most schools DO have Christian clubs. I know our school has a fellowship of Christian athletes club. Participation is not mandated. Also, to the person who said people could be tricked into be homosexual… Really? Do you actually believe that? Do you think you could have been “tricked” into being sexually attracted to someone of your same gender? I can assure you that you can’t force a person to be attracted to someone they aren’t. I hope that you can think about this clearly and logically.
@Sherriephillips
You can not simply trick someone into a lifestyle. If this was the case I would say that you were “tricked” into believing that acceptance isn’t taught. We need to teach our children to accept everyone for who they are not who they chose as a partner.
And by the way there are plenty of gay students already at Fannin County High School, are you stating that these students shouldn’t be allowed to attend the school based upon the fact that they’re gay?
I agree with you 100%
Sit down, Sherrie. You’ve been hittin’ the wine at communion.
Being gay is not a choice, being straight is not a choice. Love is love, hate is hate. This group is just being formed to unite students, and not to alienate one group due to who they love. Intolerance and hate begin in the home. Let’s leave it there.
You can’t be tricked into being gay lez or bi. People are born into it
“Tricked into this lifestyle”?
Did an adult actually type this?
Here is the link to sign the petition
https://www.change.org/p/school-system-don-t-let-homosexuality-be-pushed-on-students-in-fannin-county
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/simply-having-gay-straight-alliance-reduces-suicide-risk-all-students-180949462/?fbclid=IwAR0oZXrbSk1u_2leQXKELX6Eexq12s7RY9nKxSJowtpyEFuzLkEqVoCcfsU
Do not agree at all!! Put God back in our schools!!
It’s the Bible That’s not allowed in the school not God if you truly believe in God he’d be with you at all times. Let’s not forget about the meet at the pole. And the moment of silence at school required for all students.
Against GSA club at Fannin HS
If the GSA club is for some reason denied, please contact me and I can help the students file a lawsuit against the school system! The court rulings on this issue could not be any clearer.
GSA hasn’t been pushed on anyone and is purely a group of individuals who want a safe environment to be able to talk and express what’s going on in any part of their life. It’s supposed to be a safe place and a group of students against bullying. No one is getting hurt. The gay students where there before the club was even mentioned, so please stop acting like it’s causing any problem for you. The school does infact have religion involved, with not only FCA but also classes held about religion in the CLC (Christian Learning Center), so there’s no arguing otherwise. If those who express through religion can express so on campus, so should potential GSA members. #GSAinFannin Spread Love Not Hate.
I want to point out to show the mentality of the bigots in this area in the different titles of the two petitions (one for, one against).
We have the one for titled “GSA should be allowed at Fannin” and then there is the opposition petition title, “Don’t Let Homosexuality Be Pushed on Students in Fannin County”. Pushed? I don’t see anyone pushing any students to join any clubs. can we start a petition to remove the FCA club and call it “Don’t allow religion to be pushed on Students at Fannin County”? It’s pathetic how these religious bigots can twist views to make themselves appear to be victims. These students just want a club of their own. The Christians can have a club to support and promote their hate and bigotry, why can’t the LGBT students have a club to promote love and equality?
Remember for each person “recruited” they win a toaster oven!
Most of the high school students have gay friends or know gay people, its a different generation folks.
I support this club 100%. Remember love thy neighbor? Being gay does not change anything. My daughter is gay and I know the difficulties of how hard it can be trying to function normally in a very small minded community that is so far behind in the real world. I support her and her girlfriend like any good mother would. People deserve to be happy with their life gay or straight without the judgement of a backwoods revival camp. Times are changing people even in your little insignificant town and no matter how much you protest, you cant stop it. Stop the ignorance, hate and discrimination.
You all do know that there is this thing called the United States Supreme Court that decided long ago that yes, Gay Straight Alliances are a thing and cannot be turned down. You all could have saved yourself a whole lot of time and unnecessarily outting yourselves as bigots by looking this up first and just keeping your petty judgements to yourselves.
Gay STRAIGHT Alliance groups have been found to significantly reduce suicide rates for youth. Please do some research before making harmful comments that students are seeing and internalizing as hate towards them.