A gay Timber Creek student took her message to the school board last week to push for equality in KISD anti-discrimination policy.
Timber Creek sophomore Casey Akers spoke at a Keller Independent School District board meeting on April 23 to encourage members to include language about sexual orientation in the KISD anti-discrimination policy.
After Akers’ lunchroom “promposal” was refused by administrators for being distracting earlier this month, she took it upon herself to research the KISD Student Handbook anti-discrimination policy.
The “Assurance of Nondiscrimination” statement in the KISD student handbook says the district forbids discrimination based on “race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, disability, or age” but does not directly mention sexual orientation.
“How can homosexual students feel safe when we are not protected?” Akers said in prepared remarks to the board. (Editor’s Note: Akers provided those remarks to a Talon reporter following the speech.)”How can we receive a proper education when we are constantly checking our backs, and closing our ears to the derogatory names called in the hallways that are burned in our minds?”
District resources mention sexual orientation as being an element in investigations into bullying and harassment and KISD teachers have been trained in how to deal with bullying and harassment claims.
As reported in the Talon, both Timber Creek and KISD administrators stated that the “promposal” denial was related to the issue of distraction and not based around discrimination toward Akers’ orientation or choice of date.
At last check, Akers was on the list of students who had purchased a ticket and were clear to attend Timber Creek’s prom on May 16.