Officials sink plan for gay evening of dance

Press, 16 April 1979, Page 9

Officials sink plan for gay evening of dance

NZPA-Reuter Cumberland. Rhode Island A 17-year-old boy has been greeted by jeers from some students and by a’ (negative response from school officials to his request for permission to take another boy to a high school junior dance in Cunt-! berland. Rhode Island. The school system said it| had decided against granting! Paul Guilbert a hearing on) his request because the; boy’s father opposed the plan, and not because homo-i sexuality was an issue. Guilbert, after attending) classes at Cumberland High School for the first time since accounts of his request j

. were published, said he ytas I “very nervous.” ; Discussing the reaction of! . felloyv students, Guilbert' Jsaid: "They were yelling andi i screaming, practically the ; whole student body. Every! , class I went to, people i stopped to look at me. Thevi (asked me for my autograph.) It was kind of sick.” ■ Hoyvever, Guilbert, who {says he is a homosexual and ’'has the support of the state {chapter of the National Gay; Rights Task Force, said he | yvould continue his fight for' lhe right to take a male, a 'sludent al another school, to the May 4 dance. i The Cumberland School!

»,Department had dei ided against granting the bov a fl hearing on the advice of its [[attorney. Mr James SantaI) niello, the school superintendent, Mr Robert Condon '{said. ; Mr Condon said that lhe '{student council and most of [the student body opposed {Guilbert’s request.’ d “It’s a bad situation,” he said. “We re concerned about ■ the youngster’s safety.” I lhe boy’s father opposes having his son go to the dance yvith another male. I'hc father had asked the school committee, in writing. Ito cancel the hearing, and (the administration had Jagreed, Mr Condon said.