After more than three years of litigation on behalf of students represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), administrators at Carver Middle School in Lake County have approved the application of a gay-straight alliance (GSA) student group at the school.
This will allow the club to meet on campus and be recognized by the school.
“We’re thrilled that Carver students once again have their GSA officially recognized by the school,” said ACLU of Florida staff attorney Daniel Tilley, “GSAs help make schools safer for all students, not just LGBT students. Students at Carver have worked for years to try to have their club recognized again by the school, and we are so proud of them for their work to improve the school environment for their peers.”
Bayli Silberstein, who was 14 at the time, pushed for the creation of GSA at Carver Middle School in 2013. This was in response to anti-gay bullying endured by her and her friends. Silberstein filed the first lawsuit, followed by 12-year-old Hannah Faughnan who filed another lawsuit later that same year.
In December 2016, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling holding that a federal nondiscrimination law that prohibits schools from discriminating against student clubs applies to Florida’s public middle schools.
More information about that ruling is available here.
