Pupil Claims School Removed Her Yearbook Photo...Because She's Gay

Pupil Claims School Removed Her Yearbook Photo...Because She's Gay

A schoolgirl claims her school removed her photo from its yearbook because she's gay.

Felicia Rivera, 16, is demanding that Brennan High School in San Antonio, Texas, reinstate the photo of her and her girlfriend.

The photo had been part of a montage of six couples chosen by pupils for Valentine's Day.

Felicia said that her romantic pose with Lialani Hernandez, 17, was removed when the yearbook supervisor discovered that it involved two girls.

Felicia said: "They claimed that they have nothing against gay rights, but are scared of how much criticism the school would get and how parents of straight people would refuse to buy the yearbooks.

"It's not really about getting the picture back in the yearbook, but about why it was pulled in the first place."

Northside Independent Schools District spokesman Pascual Gonzalez insisted the picture was dropped when the yearbook supervisor decided it was an 'excessive public display of affection' in violation of the school handbook.

"It looks like a pretty intimate moment," Mr Gonzalez added.

He emphasised that Brennan High School does not discriminate against students based on sexual orientation.

"We welcome all students, as well as a safe and welcome environment," he said.

Felicia's father, Felix Rivera, met the school headteacher, Gerardo Marquez, to tell him that he will go through the yearbook 'page by page' to make sure there are no heterosexual couples depicted in a similar way.

"I would be perfectly fine with this if you can show me a picture of another gay couple somewhere in the book," he said.

Close