Administrators at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines are considering students’ request to form “a non-religious LGBT support club.” The school made national news recently for withdrawing a contract offered to a teacher after administrators learned he was openly gay. After at least 150 students walked out of class to protest the hiring decision, a junior at the school who is gay started a petition seeking to form a club where all students “can feel supported and loved.” Initially school officials said they would discuss the request, and at this writing, they have not announced a decision. Gay-straight alliances exist in scores of Iowa public high schools, but to my knowledge, the only Catholic school in the state with such a club is Regina High School in Iowa City.

After the jump I’ve posted excerpts from Liam Jameson’s petition at Change.org and the full text of an e-mail Dowling Catholic President Jerry Deegan sent to parents on April 16. Any relevant comments are welcome in this thread.

On a related note, although I could not be more strongly pro-choice, I believe students at Hampton-Dumont High School in Franklin County, Iowa should be allowed to form a “Students for Life” club, as long as staff don’t promote the club and students are not required to attend.

Excerpts from Liam Jameson’s petition to allow the creation of a non-religious LGBT support club at Dowling Catholic High School:

Students, teachers, and alumni of a catholic high school are taking a stand. What we are doing could start a movement to help give LGBT students a safe space no matter where they go to school.

My name is Liam and I attend Dowling Catholic High School. When I found out a track coach and substitute teacher had been denied a job for admitting he was in a gay relationship, I wasn’t surprised. Having been bullied for being gay and forced to transfer schools when it got too bad, I knew how cruel people could be. Being gay in high school is tough. Being gay in a catholic school, even tougher.

But when news spread of someone not getting a job for being gay, something was different. People didn’t nod their head in a agreement, instead they walked out in protest. Over 200 students walked out to send the message hate is not acceptable. They were joined by teachers and alumni. As we stood outside, all of us together in solidarity, I didn’t want that safe space to disappear. It doesn’t have to.

We are calling on Dowling Catholic High School to allow a non-religious LGBT support club. All students deserve a safe place at school where they can feel supported and loved.

I’m just like any other student at Dowling Catholic High School. I stress about tests, take part in extracurricular activities, and volunteer to better my community. But no matter what I do, what I accomplish, I’m taunted for being gay by many of my peers. I don’t deserve to be treated like that. Nobody does. Our school needs a LGBT support club. The move would also send a message to private, religious schools across the country: Cultivating love is a more important value than reinforcing hate.

Some may say that a LGBT support group doesn’t belong at a religious school. Neither do the bullying, suicide risks, and discrimination faced by LGBT students. By openly discriminating against LGBT faculty, Dowling Catholic High School is creating an incredibly hostile and discriminatory environment for LGBT students. They can change that by allowing a LGBT support club to form.

Full text of e-mail Dowling Catholic High School parents received on April 16 (shared by a Bleeding Heartland reader):

Dear DCHS Parents –

I want to update you on some important and meaningful discussions that have been taking place among students, faculty, and Administration over the past 10 days. Our hiring practices started the discussion but the content and tone of the conversation has evolved. At Dowling Catholic our ability to adapt, change and evolve is crucial to our ability to develop Leaders for Life Centered on Christ.

The conversation now is on the importance of respect, dignity, tolerance and inclusion. While DCHS students strive to demonstrate those characteristics everyday some students believe more can be done. A small group of students submitted a proposal to form a club to help students who may be or have questions about same sex attraction. We are working through the regular process when any student requests to form a club and have already met with a few students to talk about goals and objectives. Progress has been made and I am looking forward to soon sharing the outcome of our work.

In our Catholic school setting and beyond, Pope Francis has challenged us to be sensitive and provide a caring, compassionate, respectful environment for all of our students on their faith journey. As an apostolate of the Catholic Church, Dowling Catholic embraces this challenge.

The last two weeks have been difficult but this has provided an opportunity to build upon the already strong characteristics of our welcoming school climate. Dowling Catholic’s goal is to constantly provide a faith-filled, safe, welcoming environment for all students. All students who attend Dowling Catholic need to be accepted for who they are and who they think God has called them to be.

We have a duty to our students to teach them academic content in their faith and subjects, but more importantly, to assist and support their development as young men and women of God. Part of that teaching is to model Jesus by walking with all students on their faith journey while they are at Dowling Catholic.

I have been around Dowling Catholic for more than forty years and am reminded that decisions have been made throughout the years that strengthened Dowling Catholic and made it better, that helped it grow and continually improve. We pride ourselves on providing a faith community and a culture of continuous improvement that together compels us to meet new challenges as they come and be responsive to the needs of our students in an inclusive, safe, caring, educational environment for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jerry Deegan

President