The American Civil Liberties Union has congratulated six gay students who were awarded US$1.1 million compensation, after a California school failed to stop homophobic bullying. The students had been fighting for five years. The school took the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice, before finally agreeing to settle on January 6. Not only did the settlement include heavy compensation, it also bound the school to an extensive training program for staff and students.
It is being heralded as a landmark case, given that an estimated 200,000 gay students are bullied in California schools every year, and few training programs exist for teachers. Three plaintiffs who agreed to reveal their names publicly were former students Alana Flores (who received $150,000); Freddie Fuentes ($100,000) and Jeanette Dousharm ($100,000). "I am so happy that the [school] district has finally recognised the seriousness of this problem and is ready to do something to stop it", said Flores about the settlement in a press release. "The kind of abuse I had to deal with every day when I went to school was horrible. No student should have to face that. Making schools safe for all students through this kind of training is something every school should do."
From Green Left Weekly, February 4, 2004.
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