RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Two 16-year-olds who were expelled from a Lutheran high school because they were suspected of being lesbians have sued the school for invasion of privacy and discrimination.
The lawsuit, filed last week in Riverside County Superior Court, seeks the girls' re-enrollment at the small California Lutheran High School, unspecified damages and an injunction barring the school from excluding gays and lesbians.
Kirk D. Hanson, an attorney for the girls, said the expulsion traumatized and humiliated them.
"Their entire support network was pulled out from under them because of suspicions about their sexual orientation," said Hanson, who declined to say whether his clients are lesbians.
I really don't see where these girls have much of a case. According to the article they weren't seen to be physically affectionate with one another, yet still the school's administrators (who, to be fair, weren't available to tell their side of the story in this article) found their behavior unacceptable for a private Lutheran school.
Discrimination is not an issue here. As it is not a public school the California Lutheran High School doesn't have to accept any student and can certainly dismiss students based on any criteria that pleases them regardless of how silly the general public may find it.
As for invasion of privacy, asking the girls questions (however pointed) and acting on their answers does not meet that definition. Really, I don't even understand why these girls would want to get back into a school where they aren't wanted.