The ACLU is demanding a local school district to reverse its decision against having a Gay-Straight Alliance club in its school.
In a letter to the School District, the ACLU says the school board has until Friday to change it's mind, or be slapped with a lawsuit.
Amber Fogelsonger, a senior, is part of a group of students at Chambersburg Area Senior High School who have collaborated to form a Gay-Straight Alliance. "Something needs to be done. Kids need a safe place to come."
Last month, the Chambersburg School Board voted 5-4 against having the club. One board member told CBS 21 News he felt the club did not do enough to stop bullying.
In a statement, Reggie Shufford of the ACLU says "Allowing the creation of the Gay-Straight Alliance club is not only the legal thing to do, it is the right thing to do for the district's students. Discrimination and harrassment can have a devastating impact on gay youth and GSAs provide an important and safe forum for students."
The ACLU says the boards vote was a violation of the Federal Equal Access Act, a law from 1984 requiring high schools to provide equal access for clubs to form. That statment went on to say since it's not officially a club, it can not hold fundraisers at the school or use the morning announcements system.
Equality Pennsylvania, based in Harrisburg, said in a statement: "Given the lack of an LGBT-inclusive, anti-bullying law in Pennsylvania, local school districts are left on their own to ensure safe environments for LGBT students to learn and to be themselves."
Teacher Sue Shruff says she plans on seeing it through. "My co-advisor and I intend to stay until the end and be here to support our students."
"I know at the end it's gonna happen. We have a lot more people than not, it'll happen eventually." Said Sierra Bombaugh, a senior at Chambersburg.
We spoke with one school board member who voted for the club to happen, and we're told that member has not heard anything from anyone about the issue. She only heard after reading the paper.
We did reach out to the Superintendent who did not return our calls.
