Should Gay Clubs Meet on Campus?

A group of students at El Modena High School in Orange County recently attempted to form a gay-themed club on their campus. The Orange Unified School District board barred the club, but the members have not given up. HELEN KIM spoke with students about this national debate.

CHRISTINE BAI

17, senior, Van Nuys High School

Public schools shouldn’t have gay clubs because these clubs send out a message to people that it’s OK to be gay. God intended for women and men to marry each other and have children, and a lot of religions are against homosexuality.

What is the purpose of these gay-themed clubs? It’s to prove that they are gay and proud of it. Gay clubs on campus will make other people feel uncomfortable. Instead of having gay clubs at school, the members should have these clubs outside of school on their own time.

Public schools should encourage noncurricular activities and organizations that have a good purpose. Activities that involve community service and volunteer work are always good to have at a school. Many clubs have a specific purpose.

But what is the purpose of having a gay club except to show off that they’re gay?

Before approving a club, the school should consider the club’s motives for existing. For instance, my Korean Club tries to raise money for the Korean community and for our school’s auditorium. I think that if a group of people has a good purpose in mind and no one feels offended by anything, then there is no reason not to form a club.

I see the gay-themed club as different from other clubs. If I had the authority to make a decision at El Modena High School in Orange County, I would ask them what the purpose of their club is and then I would tell them to form their club outside of school because other students might feel uncomfortable.

BETTY SANTANA

15, sophomore, Inglewood High School

Students have the right to discuss homosexuality in a club at school. I think homosexuality is an appropriate topic for a public high school. If students don’t learn about it in school, they are bound to learn about gays and lesbians somewhere else. Besides, a gay club can help gays open up and come forth--it’s not something to be ashamed of.

A gay-themed club is no different from any other club.

Schools should have the right to allow certain clubs to exist, yet exclude others. Certain clubs aren’t appropriate for schools. If there were a KKK club at my school, I think there would be a lot of riots. Clubs that educate students have a positive impact. Clubs such as the science club can be beneficial for students. Sex education is a topic that should be addressed in a classroom as well as in a club. If students can discuss such topics in a classroom, why can’t they discuss them in a club?

BEN FREEMAN

17, senior, Inglewood High School

Everyone has the right to express their feelings, but some may express them too strongly and offend others around them. Homosexual discussions at school can produce hate crimes. I think it’s a risk to have a gay club in a public high school. I don’t think homosexuality is really an appropriate topic for school.

It’s good for people to be true to themselves, but it can cause them problems. A gay student can get harassed. There are a lot of hate crimes that are already going on at school. Everybody has the right to express their feelings, but I’m certain that in any school the presence of some clubs would result in chaos.

If there were a gay club at my school, I would be OK with its presence as long as the members are respectful toward others.

Clubs and other noncurricular activities and organizations give students something to do and something to learn about. For example, a religious club would be good to have because it would inform others about students’ backgrounds and interests. I see the gay-themed club as different because it’s something new.

There will always be conflicts, but I feel that they should go ahead and do what they want to do. They should try to form their club and see how everything works out.

MAX ABRAMS

16, junior, Calabasas High School

It’s the students’ decision to decide what’s right for them. Students have the right to discuss topics such as homosexuality in a club at school. A gay-themed club would be a good way for members to meet friends. The presence of a gay-themed club wouldn’t persuade people in either direction; a gay club would just make others more aware of what’s going on around them.

Students should have some say as to whether a club should exist at a school. Clubs are generally very beneficial for students, as long as the club is open to everyone. If there is a religious club, it should be open to all students so that everyone can become more aware of the religion. The Calabasas Interact Club is very beneficial; it helps people interact more with the community in positive ways. I am in the Earth Club, the Speech and Debate Club and Amnesty International. The clubs that I participate in make me more aware of my surroundings and more involved in my community.

I see the gay-themed club as different from other clubs, such as ones that promote community service. There’s not really much that a gay club can do outside of school except have discussions. A gay-themed club would make people more aware of gays and lesbians and help others fight homophobia.

I would prefer teachers, instead of clubs, to address sex education because it would help people become more aware about the dangers and risks involved. [But] I say let the gay-themed club exist if the students want to have one.