NC School lifts ban on clubs after questions over LGBT group

Lake Lure, N.C. (AP) — The board of directors of a Rutherford County public charter school has reversed its ban on student-led clubs, two weeks after complaints about a newly formed Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group.

A news release from the American Civil Liberties Union said the board of Lake Lure Classical Academy voted Monday to establish a new policy requiring K-8 students, but not high school students, to get parental consent to join clubs.

"Federal law requires all students clubs - whether it's a chess club, Bible study group, or Gay-Straight Alliance - to be treated equally. It's also important that the new policy allows high school students to exercise their First Amendment right to decide what clubs to join," said Chris Brook, legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation.

School officials didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday.

The Daily Courier of Forest City reported at the time that parents, teachers, pastors and concerned citizens voiced a mix of opinions to the club during the school's regular board meeting on Nov. 12. The board voted 5-3 to suspend all club activity until it could seek legal counsel.

A teacher at the school allowed the club to hold meetings in her classroom and gave members a poster from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to display. The board also addressed the poster, setting a policy that requires all club posters to have a stamp of approval from the school director and restricting them to designated club bulletin boards in the middle and high school halls.

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The Gayly – December 1, 2015 @ 2:15 p.m.