Sheridan High School Censors Gay Student Profile: Rikki's Take

I'd be lying to you guys if I told you I didn't know this was brewing for quite some time. 

This saga began a while back in my husband's Journalism class. 

You see, if you have read this article by the Human Rights Campaign, you know what I'm talking about. But my husband is the advisor to this group. He oversees the yearbook. And right now, he is DAMNED proud of his kids. 

The yearbook staff was charged with finding some student profiles with a story to tell. They are celebrating what makes us all different but that they all come together in the same community: Sheridan High School. 

There were several different profiles included: a student who was adopted, a student whose friend passed away, a student who had to use a wheelchair for a while; just to name a few. 

But also included was this story of a boy who came out on social media a year ago and who has been accepted in his community. It is a very uplifting story and one that needs to be told, especially in a small town like Sheridan where students are often afraid to be different. 

In fact, here is the story: 

"I use to be scared to say that I'm gay," Taylor Ellis, junior, said. "It's not fun keeping secrets; after I told everyone, it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders."
Ellis's "secret" was first shared in the summer of 2012, with his friend Joelle Curry, junior, and his mother, Lyn Tillman.
"I wasn't surprised at all," Tillman said. "I don't care because he's my son, and I know he's happier."
Ellis, who said he struggles with depression, which has gotten better since he has come out.
However, Ellis waited until spring break of 2013 to tell the rest of his peers; he did so through the social media site, Instagram.
I put it in my bio, and hashtagged pictures,” Ellis said. “When people would ask me about it, I just said 'yes I am,' and that was that."
Although the thought of coming out, and the repercussions of doing so, frightened Ellis at first, he found that most of the student body, as well as the teachers, were very accepting of him.
I wrote about it in Mrs. Williams class; it was when I first came out," Ellis said. "She told me she was glad I shared that with her. We had a stronger bond after that, I think."
"He had poured himself into it," Summer Williams,  sophomore English teacher, said. "It was one of the best ones I read. I was just so proud of his openness, and his honesty. It was a risk; sharing that with his classmates, but they were very accepting. It was good for him. I could tell he felt better after writing about it."
Ellis found that while people do not treat him with disrespect, some do seem to be more distant.
"Some guys are more reserved around me now," Ellis said. "But not a lot of people have been mean about it, thank God. I'm actually in a good situation. I'm very lucky."

When talk began of taking this story out of the yearbook, Justin made sure to let the administration know that this was illegal. Arkansas has a law prohibiting censorship of student publications (Arkansas Student Publications Act). Administrators may only censor student publications that are obscene, libelous, constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy or incite students to commit unlawful acts or those against school policy are “not authorized” under the act.

This clearly doesn't fall under that category. 

Does all of this sound a bit familiar? Maybe because just last semester, Sheridan made national headlines for cancelling a Muslim speaker on 9/11 due to backlash from the community. 

Local coverage  

National Coverage 

Are you ready for Rikki's take? 

STOP EMBARRASSING THIS STATE BY BEING BIGOTS!!!

The education system in any town should be the EXAMPLE, not bow down to the uneducated demands! 

How are things going to change in Sheridan? How are students going to know it is okay being themselves? How are students going to become educated about other cultures if they aren't allowed to learn about them? How are you going to pretend you are protecting an openly gay student from bullying by not putting his story in the yearbook?

YOU ARE THE BULLY. 

And you are also the coward. 

You are the leadership. In Sheridan, the school IS the town. 

Be the leader. Do what is right. 

This is absolutely shameful. 

You are lucky to have teachers such as Justin that take the opportunity to teach students very seriously and are teaching them to find great stories, produce legitimate journalistic material, and to know when their rights are being taken away and how to stand up for themselves. 

Those types of students are the future leaders of America. Do we want to teach them to bow down to peer pressure, or to stand up for what's right even when it isn't easy?

If nothing else, here's a little advice from Liar Liar: 

STOP BREAKING THE LAW, ASSHOLE! 

 If you want to sign the petition to get the principal and superintendent's attention to reverse the decision, please go here and add your  name. If nothing else, support these students in their fight for what is right.