Days after the
Equality Ride bus toured the state of Oklahoma, with
stops at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa and Oklahoma
Baptist University in Shawnee, the Oklahoma board
of education struck the sexual orientation portion
from its antidiscrimination policy. The change
happened without notice last Thursday in Oklahoma City in
response to a state representative's complaints about
the Equality Ride, in which more than 30 young LGBT
activists are attempting to meet with students at
Christian universities across the country that prohibit the
enrollment of gays.
Previously the school board's antidiscrimination
policy covered sexual orientation as well as a
student's family, social, and cultural background. Now
those categories have been struck from the policy, which
has reverted back to state and federal antidiscrimination
laws protecting a student's race, for instance.
The action came at the request of Oklahoma
representative Kevin Calvey, a Republican seeking
election to the U.S. Congress. He said in a statement
that "the board's new rule will protect public schools from
having to allow homosexual rights organizations to
hold meetings on school grounds."
Citing the recent Equality Ride protests at the
two universities, where several Equality Riders were
arrested, Calvey added, "This isn't really at the high
school level yet, but I would expect it someday to be."
The head of an Oklahoma gay rights group said
that the policy change is a part of wider political
positioning by conservatives this election year. "It's
just open season on GLBT people at the state legislature,"
Laura Belmonte, president of Tulsa Oklahomans for Human
Rights, told Tulsaworld.com. "It is our belief that
these conservative legislators are using these issues
as a wedge issue to try to mobilize their base in an
effort to take over the senate this year."
There was no comment from the school board's
superintendent. (The Advocate)
