Flier sparks controversy

Many parents, students and faculty members have spoken out against a flier distributed on Nov. 10 by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), a Virginia-based non-profit organization that advocates the rights of "former homosexuals." Blair's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) is considering plans to counter PFOX's involvement in the school.

Principal Phillip Gainous was uncomfortable distributing the flier, he said. Gainous's secretary, Cherrie Avery, contacted the MCPS central office to ask if the flier had to be distributed and was told that Blair was required to do so under the new policy enacted by the Board of Education at the beginning of this school year.

Gainous said the flier itself was "innocuous" and did not cause the "substantial disruption" that would have allowed him to prevent its distribution under the Supreme Court's ruling in Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier.

Gainous said that he sympathized with the many Blair students who came to complain to him about the flier. "If I had my druthers, [the flier] would not have gone out," he said.

Many students also brought concerns to GSA President Avi Edelman, saying that they were "offended" and "disgusted" by the flier, Edelman said. The GSA wants the Board of Education to reexamine the flier policy but have not officially brought their complaints to the Board.

The flier also generated concern among parents, who complained that it contained dishonest, slanted information that does not belong in schools.

Parent Jeanne Philbin responded to other parents' complaints, defending the policy that allows non-profit groups to distribute fliers. She said that she would rather all organizations have the freedom to distribute information than all distribution be banned to keep out organizations like PFOX.

The new flier policy requires each school to designate at least two days per year on which non-profit groups can distribute information to students. The policy was a response to last summer's court ruling that student backpacks are an "open forum," and that all non-profit groups must be given equal opportunity to distribute information to students.

PFOX Executive Director Regina Griggs said she plans to distribute fliers to all MCPS high schools and was only limited to Blair and Quince Orchard this quarter because of copying costs.

The GSA originally planned to stage protests against the organization but decided against it. "PFOX isn't worth our time," Edelman said. "They're not a Montgomery County group, so we don't recognize their legitimacy. We represent Blair, they don't."

The GSA is still formulating a response, including a tentative plan to distribute a flier in response to PFOX's.

The GSA also sent an Oct. 4 letter to MCPS Deputy Superintendent Frieda Lacey complaining about new regulations, instigated by PFOX, regarding the distribution of written materials by MCPS counselors. In response, Associate Superintendent Carey Wright wrote a letter on behalf of Lacey on Oct. 30, which Edelman received on Nov. 29.

The letter connected the restrictions on counselors to the new flier distribution policy, stating that "counselors continue to assist students. Printed materials are made available in accordance with [the] Board of Education [flier distribution] Policy."