Gay Straight Alliance draws sharp debate
By Jim Kleinhans, Editor


By a 5-4 vote, the Menomonie School Board Monday night approved sponsorship of a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Club at the high school.

The vote came after emotion pleas, from both sides of the aisle, during the Community Communications portion of the agenda and a spirited debate by Board members.
The issue had previously been discussed by the Programs Committee at its June 29 meeting.

At the time, there was a majority vote to accept sponsorship and bring it to the full school board. However, one of the committee members --Mary Thatcher -- spoke strongly in her opposition at Monday night's Board meeting.

Before a full house at the Administrative Service Center, speakers from the community were about evenly divided on the issue.