School apologizes after student suspended for saying homosexuality wrong

by Kathleen Gilbert

• FORT WORTH, Texas, October 11, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Texas school where a teen was punished for saying homosexuality was wrong has apologized and stated the boy “has the right to express an opinion in a manner consistent with law and policy.”

The Fort Worth Independent School District has issued a letter fully vindicating high school freshman Dakota Ary, who was given in-school suspension for telling another student that he believes homosexuality is wrong because of his Christian faith.

Dakota Ary

The school’s letter is in response to a letter from the Christian legal organization Liberty Counsel, which is representing Dakota, requesting full vindication and a full retraction of the suspension. The district’s letter will be placed in Dakota’s permanent file to further clear his record.

The controversy surrounded an incident that happened when Dakota was in Kristopher Franks’ German language class at Western Hills High School and the topic of homosexuality arose. Dakota said to one of his classmates, “I’m a Christian and, to me, being homosexual is wrong.” Franks overheard the comment, wrote Dakota an infraction, and sent him to the principal’s office.

In the discipline referral form, Franks charged Dakota with “possible bullying” and indicated, “It is wrong to make such a statement in public school.”

Two weeks prior to this event, Franks had displayed a picture of two men kissing on a “World Wall” and told his students that homosexuality is becoming more prevalent in the world and that they should just accept it. Many of the students were reportedly offended by his actions and his continually bringing up the topic of homosexuality in a German language class. The teacher was temporarily placed on administrative leave with pay last week.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, praised the school’s vindication of Ary.

“No public school teacher should use the position of authority to bully students to accept homosexuality. That is what this teacher did, and he got his hand caught in the cookie jar,” said Staver. “We want to make sure this never again happens to any student.”