I'm talking with one of my friends about starting a GSA at school. He recently asked the assistant principle why we couldn't start one if we had a teacher that would be willing to be the advisor. We have other non-curricular clubs like chess club and whatnot. The assistant principle said that we can't do anything like that unless students can start religious, anti-GSA or other clubs like that. Does anyone have any advice on where to go from here?
You can't start a school-wide hate group. That's just a stupid thing to say. He may just be uneducated about what it is that GSA does. Just explain to him that it's a support group for questioning people and persecuted people. As for religious clubs, that doesn't matter of course anyone can start a religious club if they want. They just shouldn't preach hateful values. If he still refuses it's probably an issue with prejudice and at that point you'll have to take legal action or go to a higher authority.
Well, that doesn't sound quite right to me... I mean, I don't know what kind of school you go to, but I go to a public high school, and there are clubs that are religious based. I do not think we have GSA, but with the rules that we have for creating clubs, we would be able to have one. It seems strange that you wouldn't be allowed to create one. In any case, from there I might see if there is a place where the rules for creating clubs are lied out to see if what was being said to you is correct. You could also organize the group or club outside of school. Good luck Hope all goes well!
I go to a public school and I've looked through everything on the school website and I haven't seen anything about creating clubs. My friend and I are going to talk to the teacher that said she would be the advisor and then see about getting a meeting with the assistant principle or principle.
He's right in that students should be able to create religious groups, but not ones which are purely made to be anti-GSA. That's like saying the chess club can only meet if somebody else can make a "chess sucks; play Jenga instead" club. My school had a christian fellowship club, and they were all about love and, well, fellowship. No hate out of them.
You might disagree, but I'd encourage them to allow religious, anti lgbt clubs, and any clubs relating to a specific ideology with a reasonable argument. It's only fair; if you get to start a club with a specific goal or belief in mind, so should other people.
