Source: Eyewitness News, Memphis 
Memphis City Schools is defending a high school principal who was charged by the ACLU with violating the rights of two gay students whose names were posted to a list of student couples.

In a letter released yesterday, the school district says that the at Hollis F. Price Middle College principal, Daphne Beasley, acted properly in compiling the list and notifying parents. The letter says that Beasley's list of "children she knew to be involved romantically" was appropriate because "such behavior" is a violation of school conduct codes.

In a letter released publicly this week, ACLU said that Beasley heard about the two gay students through another student, then wrote their names on a list she posted next to her desk. The list was in full view of anyone who entered her office, according to the ACLU complaint letter.

Although the boys had never been observed by any school staff engaging in any sort of display of affection, the principal called the mother of one of the boys and asked her, "Did you know your son is gay?" according to the ACLU complaint.

ACLU states that the Beasley told the boy's mother that she didn't like gay people and wouldn't tolerate homosexuality at her school.

In its informal response letter to the ACLU complaint, lawyers for the Memphis district describe Beasley's list as a "call list" and claim "the list was never posted publicly anywhere at the school."

"The principal did not list any information other than students’ names on her personal call list, and she certainly did not specify the sexual orientation of any student," the district argues.

The letter explains that Price is an accelerated high school located on the campus of LeMoyne-Owen College, an historically black school. Eligible students may enroll in college classes in pursuit of completing the first two years of college while attending the high school.

District lawyers claim that in the fall of 2007 the high school "received numerous complaints from LeMoyne-Owen College faculty and staff that some of our student couples were involved in explicit sexual behavior in public view on the college campus."

The school district's letter says nothing about the two gay students mentioned in the ACLU complaint, but makes the general statement that, when reports of romantic trysts continued, Beasley "felt it appropriate to notify the parents of those children she knew to be involved romantically."

The district's lawyers say in their letter, "This was done in an effort to gain the support of the parents in reinforcing the message that such behavior is in violation of Memphis City Schools’ Student Code of Conduct."

The letter does not further clarify its suggestion that merely being "involved romantically" is a violation of conduct codes. Nor does it say whether Beasley made any attempt to link the names on her list to reports of trysts on the college campus.

"It is the position of Memphis City Schools that the principal did act in an appropriate manner in order to correct a serious issue at the school and that Memphis City Schools has not subjected either of these students to discriminatory treatment," the district argues.

The letter released yesterday is an informal response to the ACLU charges. District lawyers say they will submit a formal response to the ACLU "in the coming days".

Full article: UPDATE: Principal Accused of Outing Gay Students Did Nothing Wrong, According to Memphis City Schools Statement | |ABC24/CW30 Eyewitness News