Students at a Kansas high school have banded together to speak out against comments made by other students, including members of the school’s football team, that they say demeaned transgender people, including their peers.
The anti-trans comments were allegedly made on a group chat that included some football players. While some students demanded that the athletes be suspended for not properly representing the values of the school, administration has so far refused to take any meaningful action against them.
From the Lawrence Journal-World:
“It wasn’t really a shock to us, but it was alarming,” Bradley, who serves as events coordinator of his school’s TEA club, said of the messages. “It was really difficult for us to handle, knowing that these are people who represent our school.”
The lack of response Bradley said he saw from LHS staff motivated the Total Equality Alliance to stage a walk-out after first period Monday morning, he said. About 45 students met Monday outside the school’s front entrance, proceeding around 10 a.m. to the main office.
The Lawrence football team is currently 2-1 with a game against West High School on Friday.
Incidentally, while Kansas State football player Scott Frantz, who came out publicly as gay over the summer, is from Lawrence, he attended Free State High School before heading to the Wildcats. Free State and Lawrence are rivals and will play against one another on Oct. 20.
