PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Allow same-sex couples at Oklahoma high school prom
  1. Signatures
    241 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. Oklahoma Educators
  2. Created By
    Randi Beck
    Albuquerque, NM
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

In Oklahoma City, several schools have a no same-sex couple policy for prom and other kinds of school organizations and events. This kind of religiously-based discrimination in public schools is not only unethical, but emotionally and psychologically damaging to queer and questioning youth.  Furthermore, it damages current and future friendships between high school teens by propagating intolerance and encouraging the same social divisions we've been fighting now for decades. 

This petition to end homophobia and discrimination in Oklahoma City's high schools was started by a fifteen year old student at Midwest City High. Please join him in his call to action by signing this petition today. 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

End discrimination against same-sex couples in public schools

Greetings,

We have drafted this letter to stand in support of the students of Midwest City High School and in support for the freedom for all youth to express themselves both honestly and respectfully in all manner of public school events. For more than a century, people in America of all different backgrounds have struggled against discrimination and have sought inclusion, acceptance, and understanding from their fellow citizens. Unfortunately, this struggle has continued even into the present for many of them. Gay youth have no less right to express their feelings and relationships and opinions as other youth. Nor do Muslim youth, black youth, white youth, Catholic youth, deaf or blind, rich or impoverished. In a public school system that is free of religious and cultural affiliations, equal treatment toward all walks of life is not only expected, it is mandatory.

We ask first that you consider the psychological, social, and emotional effects this kind of intolerance has on a young adult. Some may be fortunate enough to have families that support them at home. But studies show that this is not often the case and the consequences for queer youth who have no support system or sense of social inclusion are severe. Here are a few notable facts:

*US Department of Health and Human Services. According to this study, gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youths and 30% of all completed youth suicides are related to the issue of sexual identity
* 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians surveyed reported having experienced verbal harrassment and or physical violence during high school as a result of their sexual orientation.("National Anti-Gay/Lesbian Victimization Report")
* 28% of gay and lesbian high school students in a national study were seen to have dropped out of school because of harrassment resulting from their sexual orientation.
* 26% of gays and lesbian youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts with their families over their sexual identities. This means that 42% of reported homeless youth are gay and needlessly homeless as a result of their sexual orientation.

And the final distressing fact directly relevant to all of this:
4 out of 5 students in school don’t know 1 supportive adult in their school environment. (Youth risk behavior survey 2001)

In closing, we ask that you please consider the effects that your policy regarding same-sex couples participating in school events will have on these students--not just this year, but for the rest of their lives. Prom is meant to be a celebration of friendships and experiences relative to all students in the culmination of their high school careers. Please allow all students equal enjoyment of participating fully in this and other school events. Thank you.


[Your name]

Press Inquiries