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About face: VA school district says it won't snub ex-'gay' group

A Northern Virginia school district has reversed course and will now allow an ex-"gay" group to distribute flyers informing students that homosexuality is a choice.



The group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) had sued Arlington County Public Schools for refusing to distribute its fliers to high school students. In the lawsuit, PFOX accused the district of violating its free-speech and due-process rights and engaging in viewpoint discrimination. Now a settlement has been reached in the case.

PFOX's attorney, Tim Tracey with the Christian Legal Society (CLS), says the district has agreed to treat the group "even-handedly."

"The law is clear," the attorney explains. "The First Amendment law on the issue of what public schools have to do with community groups' fliers is absolutely clear. They're going to treat them like any other community group."

The CLS attorney continues, explaining how things should be different now. "So PFOX will be able to have its flyers handed out in middle schools, in elementary schools, they'll be able to have them displayed in any school including high schools." He adds that "if some other community group in northern Virginia can do it, PFOX can do it as well."

Tracey says the school district should be applauded for its change of heart. He believes that when Arlington County school district officials examined the law, "they realized they had to do the right thing."

In response to the lawsuit settlement, the homosexual advocacy group "Truth Wins Out" lashed out at the Arlington School District, claiming "the content provided by PFOX is medically reckless and morally reprehensible" and "puts the health of GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender] students at risk."