Group Demands Censored Gay Kiss Photo Be Redistributed In Yearbook

This Story Just burns me!!!


Group Demands Censored Gay Kiss Photo Be Redistributed In Yearbook
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: June 25, 2007 - 11:00 am ET

(Trenton, New Jersey) An LGBT civil rights group is demanding that a Newark high school redistribute yearbooks reinstating a picture of a 18 year old student kissing his boyfriend.

Like a number of other students at East Side High School Andre Jackson, 18 bought a page in the yearbook to place pictures of himself and a commemorative message.

But when he opened his 2007 yearbook a picture of him kissing David Escobales, 19, had been blacked out.

Newark Superintendent of Schools Marion Bolden ordered staff at the school to use magic markers to obliterate the picture after it was brought to her attention by a board official.

Bolden tells the Star-Ledger that the photograph was "illicit".

"It looked provocative," she told the paper. "If it was either heterosexual or gay, it should have been blacked out. It's how they posed for the picture."

Garden State Equality, New Jersey's largest LGBT civil rights organization, is demanding the school board redistribute the yearbooks without the photo covered up, and it wants Bolden to publicly apologize to the student, his boyfriend and the LGBT community.

The organization said that Bolden's action " is not only homophobic, it is also very likely unlawful."

New Jersey law bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

In addition, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in February that schools are legally obligated to protect LGBT students from discrimination and bullying in the same way employees are protected in the workplace. (story)

Same-sex relationships also have legal recognition in New Jersey under the state's civil union law.

Jackson paid $150 for the yearbook page and said that the book is filled with pictures of opposite-sex teen couples kissing.

"We were kissing, which everyone does when they're in a relationship," he told the Star-Ledger. " They are expressing happiness and love for the person they care about," he added. "It wasn't that I wanted everyone to see and see I'm gay. I wanted everyone to feel the love I feel."

Bolden on Monday said she would be willing to apologize to Jackson if they were to meet but the teen has rejected that, insisting she make her apology to him be public and that it include the LGBT community.

He said he doubts the school district would reprint and redistribute the yearbooks because of the expense. Instead, he suggests it copy the page with the photo and make it available for free.

Garden State Equality said Monday that if the district balked at the cost of reprinting the page the organization would pick up the tab.


http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/062507yearbook.htm

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Updated On: 6/25/07 at 11:06 AM

The problem here is that this photo was on a page the student paid for. In the yearbook students can purchase "dedication pages" for $150 each. This student did that and chose to include a picture of him kissing his boyfriend. If there were no pictures of anyone kissing in the yearbook I would understand. But apparently there are several photos of hetero couples kissing on other dedication pages.

In my yearbook it was filled with hetero couples kissing at the proms, school dances, homecoming,just clowning around,etc. What kind of person blacks out the photo with a marker? I refuse to believe they took his money, saw the picture that was being submitted and sent it in. Obviously, they didn't see anything offensive about it or it wouldn't have been submitted and printed. Isn't this the job of a yearbook editor? Aren't adults and faculty overseeing this? The superintendant made it sound like it was sneaked in or something. I hope they sue and win!

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I understand the censorship thing... but like ethically speaking kids kissing? I know they are paying but really, you should see all the restrictions for children to appear in print.

I wonder what the limitations are? Some tounge, groping, mild petting? Doesn't really sound kosher. I'm just surprised the school would even permit anything of that nature.

We had those ad pages too, but there were restrictions. I know so many kids trying to put jokes what not in those.

You're right. There should be guidelines followed by everyone...but the problem is there are photos of hetero couples kissing in the yearbook that were not blacked out.
And this is high school and the kids were both 18 or over.

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I didn't think the photo was offensive.If it were a guy kissing his girlfriend it would be totally different.

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i think you're confusing al sharpton with big gay al from south park. one is real, one is imaginary. i'm not sure which, but only one handles gay issues.

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Oye.... I have to say and I'm not a super conservative guy. But that picture was racy to me. Even if it was a girl and a boy or girls and girls. This is school and these are kids.

She should be fired not only for discrimination but for allowing this go on in the first place.

I can only imagine what graduation rate is at that school.

Al is going to keep his big, straight mouth shut on this.

Both parties are black. Who's he going to yell at?

He's useless.

And that picture WAS little much. If one wasn't coming in from behind, I'd have no problem with it.

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...Kind of like when heterosexuals grope each other and no one gets upset, but God forbid a gay couple hugs a quick goodbye or looks at eacher and waves while walking down the hall.

"But Mrs.Rassorn! They're gay...!!!!"

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Well, high school yearbooks are given to freshmen, sophomores and juniors. So the ages start at like, 13 years.

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Updated On: 6/25/07 at 12:40 PM

Agree, RobbO. I'd like to see the hetero make-out sessions that made the cut.