(NEW YORK)— In response to news that Seminole, FL school officials reportedly offered to remove LGBTQ pages from a high school yearbook, due to complaints by a few parents and students that they were “inappropriate,” Peris Tushabe, PEN America’s program coordinator for Free Expression and Education, released the following comments:
“The campaign to erase LGBTQ+ identities in schools continues to reach new lows. What kind of message does it send to LGBTQ+ students and families that a superintendent would readily censor their presence from the yearbook, just to appease a small number of objections? Not to mention how the offer to print an alternative version completely undermines the work of the students who put the yearbook together. This is an outrageous proposal, rooted in hate. The superintendent should apologize.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. To learn more visit PEN.org
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057