Boone County High School in Northern Kentucky Approves Gay-Straight Alliance

Students at Boone County High School in Northern Kentucky celebrated victory after members of the Boone County High School Site-Based Council unanimously approved the formation of an in-school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) last night.

The Boone County High School was under direct threat of being sued by the Kentucky Equality Association for delaying the formation of the club for over 3 months.

The victory however belongs to Nick Herweck, a student at Boone County High School, and a senior member of the Kentucky Equality Association.

Herweck had an unprecedented amount of support from organizations and groups across two states, including the AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky University's Pride Alliance, Northern Kentucky University's Common Ground, Cincinnati's Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a representative from Social Services, various community members, and the Kentucky Fairness Alliance filled the commons area of the school to support the formation of the Boone County High School Gay-Straight Alliance.

"It was both remarkable and wonderful to see various groups and organizations from two states in the same room to support such a wonderful cause; to make sure our gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and questioning teenagers have a school club were they are accepted, and can talk freely in a non-threatening environment," stated Jordan Palmer, President of the Kentucky Equality Association/Federation. "Nick Herweck sets a positive example for all teenagers in being responsible and active environmentally, socially, academically, and politically; Nick is remarkable in every measurable sense of the word."

Kentucky Equality Federation's Founder Injured in a Car Accident

Gay civil rights leader Jordan Palmer, founder and president of the Kentucky Equality Association (now Kentucky Equality Federation) was injured with multiple lacerations around 11:45 p.m. late Saturday night on Turfway Road in Florence, KY after the car he was a passenger in was hit by a driver arrested on the scene for driving while intoxicated.

Neither Palmer nor Robert Chapman from West Virginia, the driver of the car Palmer was in were drinking alcohol or under the influence. Florence police arrested the driver of the automobile who collided with them after he allegedly failed sobriety tests.

Palmer is still expected to attend a meeting at Boone County High School on Friday evening, a high school the Kentucky Equality Association is threatening to sue for dragging their feet on the formation of a student organized Gay-Straight Alliance.