Gay Teen Is Forbidden to Share His Story

17-year-old high school student, Taylor Ellis attends Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Arkansas. He is a good student that holds a good relationship with many of his teachers, has a plethora of friends, and a loving bond with his mother. When his friend, Hannah Bruner, who is part of the high school yearbook committee, decided to showcase Taylor as one of the seven student profiles done for the yearbook, Taylor was excited. But almost instantly, Taylor’s profile was pulled from the yearbook and he was left stunned. He knew the reason why.

Taylor is gay.

Not only that, but Hannah had used Taylor’s coming out story for the profile as she saw it an important narrative that needed to be shared. Regardless, the decision was made to take out Taylor’s profile as the piece was not considered, as stated by the school superintendent, “consistent with the mission of our school.”

Is This the 21st Century?

So here’s my question. Why is it that, in 2014, the story of a young man announcing that he is gay is not only a shock but “inconsistent” with a school’s values? What are these values? By all appearances they are not tolerance, acceptance, or lack of blatant judgment. 

The superintendent, Brenda Haynes, also insisted, “We must not make decisions based on demands from any special interest group.” To which I ask again: Why is the LGBT community still considered a “special interest group”? They’re not purporting rights of life on Mars or the ideals of a foreign terrorist. Taylor is an American young man who has only stated his desire to be with another male instead of a female. He isn’t the first, and certainly won’t be the last.

All seven of the featured profiles have now been pulled, most likely, as Taylor suggests, because “they don’t want to throw out just the gay kid’s interview.” Taylor’s mother, Lynne Tiley, is fiercely supportive of Taylor, and is angry at the blatant disregard for her son’s pain. 

Real Love

As a mother myself, I cannot imagine the agonizing she must be doing over this whole situation. She accepts her son and his sexuality without question—and indeed, why should she not? Taylor is just like any other teenage boy, learning about himself and others. Naturally, this brings out the grim question: Just what has he learned about others—most particularly his academic superiors—throughout this scandal? Both the principal and superintendent have failed to treat Taylor with the equal respect that he deserves, just by being a human being. Most of his teachers have been supportive, as well as most of his classmates. But the insistence from both the principal and superintendent that they must protect Taylor from sharing his story so publicly and receiving harassment from the other students—who already know that he is gay—appears to be more of a protection for those who are not ready to admit that they are afraid of what they clearly don’t understand.

But Taylor is doing his best to fight back, and even maintains that leaving the high school behind will be no trouble for him at all. “I have one more year and after that, I’ll thank God every day that I’m not there any more,” he said. 

Sheridan High School was so worried about their “image” and the mission they claimed to uphold. Well, they’ve definitely changed their image, and in the eyes of the rest  of us, it isn’t a good one.