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School officials in Ga. 'standing by' decision to run controversial column
Article compared homosexuality to Down syndrome
© 2007 Student Press Law Center
October 3, 2007
GEORGIA — District officials are standing by a
Marietta high school principal's decision not to censor an opinion piece
calling homosexuality one of biology's "reproductive errors,"
despite high profile media attention describing the "furor" caused
by the article.
A column by Carlton J. Kell High School senior Thomas
Benjamin appeared in this year's first edition of the school's
student newspaper, The Inkwell, arguing that homosexuality is a medical
disorder "as much as Down's syndrome."
After copies of
the paper were distributed on Friday, some students said they were
"upset" the column was allowed to run, according to articles in both
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Marietta Daily Journal.
Principal Trudie Donovan reviewed the article before publication and
determined it did not violate the student publication policy.
"I'm standing by my decision," Donovan said. She
referred other questions to district representatives.
Cobb County School
District spokesman Doug Goodwin said the usual steps were taken before the
article was printed, including the principal's review.
"Whether the content is popular or not, it's not up to us to
decide what runs as long as it's not disruptive," Goodwin,
said.
Goodwin said the district would not consider any changes to its
policy in light of the recent article.
The district policy regarding
student publications states that the guidelines for the newspaper are not
"intended to allow censoring of any article merely because it is
controversial."
Goodwin said students would have a chance to write
a counterpoint article in future issues if they choose to.
"This
was just one student's opinion," he said. "Other students will
have plenty of opportunities to write theirs."
By Maggie
Beckwith, SPLC staff writer
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