A federal court ruling allowing an East High gay issues club to meet may resurrect two other denied club proposals.
Salt Lake City School District officials will re-examine applications to create women's studies and Students Against Drunk Driving clubs at West High to determine whether they should be allowed to meet, Superintendent Darline Robles said Thursday.
Her statement follows an injunction allowing PRISM — People Respecting Important Social Movements — to meet at East until a student lawsuit can be resolved. The ruling was issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell.
"We have made contact with the principal at East to have the (PRISM) club start to meet as soon as possible," Robles said after the school board met privately to discuss future legal strategy. "We wanted the board to meet with legal council to understand the judge's ruling, analyze it and see what we need to do to abide by (it)."
West High teacher Sally Smith planned to sponsor the proposed women's studies club, pitched by about 10 teens, when it was denied last fall.
"I'm certainly still in favor of having the club, and I'm available to sponsor the club," Smith said. "I'd like to check with the district. I'd be very interested in their decision based on this ruling."
East High junior Margaret Hinckley, who sued the district over the PRISM application denial with peer Jessica
Cohen and their respective parents, plans to talk next week with students interested in joining the club and set meeting dates. She's pleased other proposed clubs might be helped by the ruling.
"I think it's great because before, it seemed like we weren't getting fair treatment, and they possibly made the same mistake with the two other clubs' status."
PRISM seeks to enhance an understanding of American history and social institutions in terms of the impact, experience and contributions of gays and lesbians.
The judge granted an injunction allowing PRISM to meet as a club pending the outcome of the lawsuit. She said PRISM's subject matter is taught in regular courses and that Seidel applied a "no narrowing of the subject matter" concept that is not stated in policy and is inconsistently applied.
District policy, which has been upheld by the courts, does not allow clubs without curriculum ties.
Also mentioned in the judge's ruling were the women's studies and SADD club applications.
The women's studies club sought to create awareness of contributions made by women in the arts, sciences and athletics, initially focusing on literature.
The SADD club sought to raise awareness of adverse effects of alcohol and emphasize alternatives. Its supporters claimed it has a relationship to the health curriculum.
Attorneys for the district have argued that clubs cannot narrow subject matter or their viewpoint. But the district OK'd an application for an East Polynesian Club, for instance, which also could be considered narrow, the judge wrote.
Meanwhile, the school board is expected to discuss legal options — it has 30 days to appeal — and make decisions in a public meeting, Robles said. The issue is not on the agenda for Tuesday's school board meeting, but that could change if the board chooses.
You can reach Jennifer Toomer-Cook by e-mail at jtcook@desnews.com