Gay Prom Date Banned 
by Jan Prout
365Gay.com Newscenter in Toronto

(March 19, Toronto)  A school in a suburb east of Toronto has banned gay dates from the senior prom.

Marc Hall, a 17 year old grade 12 student at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School, in Oshawa, says he was told by the principal he was not permitted to take his boyfriend to the prom and would have to go by himself.

The  Durham Catholic District School Board said that allowing the student to bring his partner to the event would "condone something the church doesn't accept."

Hall is threatening to take the school board to the Ontario Human Rights Commission.  

In an open letter to school principal Michael Powers, the teenager said:

"Don't you see I'm not fighting this just because it's my prom, it's my whole life and the life of other gay people. 

"I'm fighting for what so many people don't understand. I'm trying to speed up the process of equality because I'm sick of being treated like someone absent of feeling and emotion."

Paul Pulla, the  Superintendent of Education for the Oshawa and Port Perry Separate School Board said the board would not reconsider it's ban.

Pulla said, " the position of the church is quite clear on the subject."

Durham Student's Website: http://geocities.com/rights_and_freedoms/

Paul Pulla can be reached at:  pullap@durhamrc.edu.on.ca

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