S.C. Principal To Resign After Gay Club Approved For School

[HappyMomma]

S.C. Principal To Resign After Gay Club Approved For School - Education News Story - WSOC Charlotte

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The principal of a South Carolina high school plans to resign rather than share his campus with an organization for gay students.

Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker confirmed Wednesday to The Associated Press he is stepping down at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Walker said he gave his reasons in a letter sent to teachers and others and he refused to talk about the issue further.

In a copy of the letter obtained by WIS-TV in Columbia, Walker said allowing the Gay-Straight Alliance club on campus would conflict with his professional beliefs and religious convictions because there are no other clubs on campus based on sexual preference or activity and the school teaches abstinence-based sex education.

"I feel the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club at Irmo High school implies that students joining the club will have chosen to or will choose to engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, opposite sex, or members of both sexes," wrote Walker, who said he prayed about the issue before deciding to step down.

In the letter, Walker wrote he wanted to resign at the end of this school year, but he felt like he would break the trust of students and teachers who were already planning on him to come back. Walker would not release the note to AP.

Lexington-Richland School District 5 couldn't stop the club from forming because federal law prohibits discriminating against a club based on its purpose, spokeswoman Michelle Foster said. The district would have had to ban all clubs from campus or face a lawsuit it would likely lose if it kept the club from the school, Foster said.

Gay-rights group Faith in America said Walker's decision is based on prejudice that is harmful to students and likened his decision to policies that once allowed segregation to flourish.

"We truly believe it is unfortunate that this principal cannot see the immense harm that is caused when a social climate of rejection, condemnation and violence is justified with misguided religious belief," said Brent Childers, executive director of the group.

[HappyMomma]

Mindy, he must think that homosexuality is contagious. LOL

[HappyMomma]

You know what they say about homophobia...

[Music-dad]

reported.

[Father_0f_7]

reported

EDIT:apparently so did Rob. I need to read.

[Dadu2004]

I don't think this has anything to do with homophobia...he's standing up for his personal beliefs. Good for him.

[Music-dad]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that kind of club has a place in a school...it just doesn't seem to fit with corriculum. A club that focuses on sexual preference within a school just doesn't fly with me...I have nothing against the club itself what-so-ever, but it would make me uncomfortable if it was formed in my daughter's school...outside the school, all the power to them though....I'm gonna have to agree with the principal on this one.

The club is fine....just not within a school. That's just not necessary.

[Father_0f_7]

I agree with you that it probably doesnt have a place in the school but I dont think I would have left the school if it were there. I would probably make it known that I didnt want it there but I dont think I would leave.

[Music-dad]

Part of a principal's job (aside from the educational aspect), is in fact filling the school with students...that being said if a club like this has some parents so uncomfortable that they choose a different school, then it goes against the duties of the school staff. If K's school had a club like this, I would probably send her to the school at the other end of the street, not because I disagree with it...simply because I don't believe it belongs there...

I took extreme dilegence when I originally appoached her school, and was lucky it's so highly rated and a bonus that it's 1.5 blocks away. They have great clubs there....Guitar, Choir, Recycling (Green), Skipping, Gymnastics, Nature Lovers, Audio / Visual, Drama.

The said principal may feel that this club could possibly lead to a reduced population in the school, and that may lead to a shutdown.

[Father_0f_7]

Skipping? That's a club?