hibition against student groups that promoternsexualih’ would still have shut outrnthe Ga/Straight Alliance. But the state’srnCivie Center Act of 1989 allows privaterngroups to meet in public buildings. Studentrngroups with adult sponsors and liabilit^•rninsurance are entitled to rent space,rneen if thev lack official endorsementrnfrom the school’s administration. ThernGaVStraight Alliance gained the neededrnadult supervision and liability moneyrnfrom GI.SEN. About 25 students now attendrnthe weekly mecHngs.rnNearly all of the 45 other non-curriculumrnrelated groups —including thernComputer Club, the Aztec Club for Latinos,rnthe Black Club, the Ski Club, andrnthe Polvnesian Club—failed to find thernsponsorship and funding rec[uired to continuernand were disbanded. The KeyrnClub, wirii sponsorship from the Kiwanis,rnwas able to persevere. (Athleticrnteams were deemed curriculum-relatedrnand continue to meet, as do the NationalrnHonor Societv and Future BusinessrnLeaders of America.)rnOf course, members of the Gay/rnStraight Alliance and their sponsors, despiterntheir rented meeting space, are shllrnupset because they lack official sanction.rnIn 1998, they filed a civil-rights suitrnagainst the Salt Lake Cif’ School Board.rn”If we v’ere school-sponsored, wc couldrnmake announcements and get the wordrnout to people in need of the support,” explainedrnone member of the Alliance to arnreporter. Other students and fiicnlh’ haverncomplaincd that the absence of studentrnorganizations has undermined schoolrnspirit. Some even fret that colleges willrnsnub them because they lack extracurricularrnactivities on their school record.rnIn April of last year, the principal atrnEast High School once again courtedrncontroversy by allowing the Gay/StraightrnAlliance to make a presentation aboutrngay pride at a school assembly on multieidturalism,rnwhich all students were requiredrnto attend. Parents responded withrnoutrage, and the principal admitted error.rnFuture assemblies will only allowrncidtural groups idenhfied with a specificrnethnicit}’ or geographic location.rnMeanwhile, an award-winning—andrnsympathetic —documentary about thernCay/Straight Alliance’s struggle againstrnthe Salt Lake Citv’ School Board was produced.rnOut of the Past was acclaimed atrnthe Sundance Film Festival, aired at thernWhite House’s first celebration of Lesbianrnand Gay Pride month, and broadcastrnon PBS.rnThe Gay/Straight Alliance picked uprncrucial religious support when UnitedrnMethodist Women, the largest religiousrnwomen’s organization in the countryrn(with nearly one million members), donatedrnSI 1,000 for a regional “FreernSchool Clubs” meeting to generate supportrnfor overthrowing the Salt Lake Git)’rnschool policy. “We’re not funding anythingrnthat is promoting sexual orientation,”rnsaid Lois Dauway. Denying thatrndie grant violates church policies that disapprovernof homosexualif)’, she said herrngroup was merely upholding free speech.rnSome Methodists will no doubt wincernat their denomination’s alliance with thernACLU and the GLSEN, neither ofrnwhich has been particvdarly friendly towardrnchurch groups. And the leaders ofrnUnited Methodist Women probablyrnhave not contemplated their double standard:rnThey have been silent when prayerrnor Bible groups have faced discrimina-rnHon in public schools.rnThe hypocrisy of its allies aside,rnGLSFN is ophmishe about the continuedrnexpansion of its network of studentsrnand teachers. GLSFN’s creation inrnBoston in 1990 led Massachusetts to becomernthe first state to recognize sexualrnminorihes in public schools. Now therernarc over 140 homosexual student groupsrnin Massachusetts schools.rnThe Gay/Straight Alliance of FastrnAre You a Member of The Rockford Institute ?rnWouldn’t you like to know what Chronicles editors do whenrnthey’re not writing for Chroniclesl For a tax-deductiblernmembership donation of $25, you will receive thernInstitute’s quarterly publication, Main Street Memorandum, yourjrnsource for all the hard-hitting commentary and Rockford Instituternnews that can’t fit in the pages of Chronicles. To join, sendrna check for $25 to:rnTRI Membershiprn928 North Main StreetrnRockford, IL 61103rnrnMAY 2000/45rnrnrn