Gay evening of dance allowed

Press, 14 May 1979, Page 9

Gay evening of dance allowed

NZPA-Reuter Sioux Falls, S. Dakota A request by a high-school pupil to take his boyfriend io the school dance later this month has been approved by school officials in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Lincoln High School’s principal, Mr Fred Stephens, laid yesterday that when the request had come in, all he! tould do was shrug his thoulders and hope for the best. "The rules say one (dancegoer) has to be a senior,” he taid. “They could take their mother if they wanted.” Mr Stephens would not Identify the pupil, who he Had has been outspoken about his homosexuality, but believes the request is terious. “My belief is that people need their rights protected. Homosexuals have rights. You have to accept that. My concern is to guarantee their lafety, if we can handle it without blowing it,” he said, adding that homosexuals were often the object of violent attacks.

“I would have said no to him if I didn’t believe in the quality of our kids.” School Superintendent I John Harris agreed with Mr Stephens: “We recognise he has a right to bring his boyfriend if he wants to,” Mr Harris said. “We don’t think the other kids will react greatly to it. I “The boy hasn’t lived at home for a year and a half. He enjoys notoriety. “We’ve discussed this with our school attorney, and we have no legal basis to keep the boy away. Other than some danger, such as safety or whatever, we have no way to exclude him,” Mr Harris said. Last month, a 17-year-old Cumberland, Rhode Island, high-school boy was denied permission to bring a male date to his junior dance. School officials there said they had rejected the boy’s request because his parents j objected to his bringing a [male escort. The boy, also |an avowed homosexual, did I not attend the dance.