From The Bureau Of They Should Have Known Better

Every time a school administrator disciplines a gay or lesbian student for a public display of affection without also metting-out similar consequences to heterosexual students for the same thing, the ACLU files a lawsuit seeking "unspecified" monetary damages:

A lesbian student claims in a lawsuit that Garden Grove school officials suspended her several times and forced her to temporarily transfer to another campus because she refused their orders to stop hugging and kissing her girlfriend on school grounds.

In the federal court lawsuit filed Wednesday, 17-year-old Charlene Nguon also alleges that a school principal told her parents of her sexual orientation and disciplined her while allowing similar behavior by heterosexual couples.

Her behavior was not prohibited in the school handbook, she claims.

"It was horrible. I was discriminated against by the administrators," said Nguon, who is represented by the ACLU and filed the suit with her mother and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network club.

Alan Trudell, a spokesman for the Garden Grove Unified School District said that "the district does not engage in discriminatory practices." He declined further comment, saying officials had not seen the lawsuit.

Nguon alleges that her grades, once straight A's, fell after she was forced last March to transfer from Santiago High School to Bolsa Grande High School — a move that increased her commute from a short walk to a 4 1/2-mile bike ride.

"Unfortunately, for Principal Ben Wolf and other staff at Santiago High, all of Charlene's accomplishments and exemplary qualities are overshadowed by one fact: that she is a lesbian," the lawsuit alleges.

Wolf and other district officials, through Trudell, declined to comment.

Nguon has been allowed to return to Santiago High for the current school year.

The suit seeks unspecified damages, an admission that the district violated Nguon's civil rights and a policy change preventing officials from disciplining students because of their sexual orientation.

As is usual with such cases, my guess is that the district will surrender settle the lawsuit rather than undergoing expensive litigation, thus handing the ACLU yet another de facto victory.

You can take it to the bank.

Ed's Note to certain school administrators: You people in the administrative suit who are tasked with enforcing your school's disciplinary guidelines should follow one simple rule that will help your institution avoid the ACLU's peculiar brand of extortion selective civil rights advocacy:

When enforcing your school's disciplinary policies, do so firmly, fairly, and consistantly with all students.

It's common-sense, really.

If you're gonna be a hardass, be an equal-opportunity hardass and you'll avoid most of this type of nonsense. ------------------------------Get instructions for entering this week's Carnival of Education, which will be guest-hosted by Ms. Frizzle, right here.

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