Indian River insists it supports gay students

Indian River Central School District officials are defending the way their schools support students after a federal gay-bias lawsuit was lodged against the district and several employees Wednesday.

The lawsuit claims that district employees wouldn’t allow former student Charles P. Pratt, 20, to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in 2004 and that Superintendent James Kettrick, who was the high school principal at the time, “displayed utter and willful indifference” to the harassment Mr. Pratt said he was subjected to at school.

“The Indian River Central School District has, as a matter of practice and policy, promoted tolerance and inclusiveness in all of its schools,” a statement released Thursday reads. “We have support groups to assist students with a variety of difficulties, including, but not limited to religious issues, racial tension, sexual orientation, socio-economic difficulties, and any other type of bias or discrimination.”

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WatertownDailyTimes.com