CBHS Sends Student Home After He Spoke Out Against Anti-Gay Policy

Lance Sanderson, a student at Christian Brothers High School who was previously prohibited from bringing a male date to their homecoming dance, arrived at school this morning to find out that he had been suspended for the week.

The teenager claims that he was told by an official at the school a year ago that he would be allowed to bring a male date as the school “doesn’t discriminate”. Since then, however, the administration’s tune has changed. Although it appears that Sanderson was not given formal documentation of his suspension, NewNowNext reports that administrators told Sanderson the school did not “appreciate the unwanted publicity” that Sanderson’s story has garnered. The statement, seen on Christian Brothers High School’s website, clarifies that “CBHS is a private, Catholic high school that adheres to the Catholic and Lasallian traditions”.

To the contrary, the school did not extend this stipulation to bringing women from other schools to the celebration.

Sanderson said he wasn’t told specifically that he was suspended, but that he should work from home the rest of the week.

“They just sounded really mad”, he said. Sanderson didn’t end up going to the dance. Instead, I was sent home. Requests for comment from high school officials have yet to be answered; when Refinery29 called, a school representative directed us to the policy on its site.

When Sanderson asked why he couldn’t bring his date, administrators pointed to the student handbook, stating: “CBHS students may attend the dance by themselves, with other CBHS students, or with a girl from another school”. He hopes that action from administration will help increase the inclusivity of the school and combat homophobia.

It appears that one of three things must be true: Either CBHS’s administration didn’t read the Code of Conduct they expect students to abide by, they disagree with it or they feel it doesn’t apply to them. “They could be more public about how people should appropriately act in situations, maybe more vocal about the words that are inappropriate to use in a school setting”, Sanderson says. “Tomorrow I was going to meet with reps from a few different colleges that were meeting with students at lunchtime”.