In Champlin, Minnesota, another brave stand for LGBT Equality was made by two lesbian students at a local high school. Sarah Lindstrom and Desiree Shelton were both elected to the Royalty Court for the Snow Days Pep Fest and wanted to walk into the auditorium together. Traditionally, students elected walk in boy-girl pairs. When school officials heard about the plans of the two girls, suddenly, rules were changed and students were told they could walk in alone or with a parent or teacher.
Students voted onto the royalty court traditionally enter the assembly in boy-girl pairs. After Lindstrom and Shelton, both 18, were elected, school officials last week announced a change in procedure: court members would walk in individually or accompanied by a parent or favorite teacher.
School officials said they merely wanted to prevent the two from being teased. But on Friday, two human rights groups sued on their behalf.
But that didn’t sit well and the decision ended up in federally mediated talks.
On Saturday, in federally mediated talks, school officials relented. The two sides agreed that members of the royalty court would be escorted by anyone meaningful to them, regardless of gender or age.
The school district has been in the headlights of the LGBT movement over the last year due to policies including “neutrality” in terms of discussions of homosexuality, and when faced with the suicide of a student who’d been harassed at the school.
While there was negative reaction when the girls walked in together, the overwhelming attitude was supportive.
