Tennessee

High school principal outs gay students. Memphis educator went well beyond her role

The ACLU is defending two gay students who were outed by their high school principal. The principal wanted to know the names of students who were couples - heterosexual and homosexual - because she was concerned about public displays of affection.

She posted the entire list of students in public, which effectively outed two boys who were attempting to keep their sexuality private. Student relationships were revealed to other students, teachers and their parents.

We reported in October that Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper supports adoption by same-sex couples. There are no current laws in the state that specifically bar gay couples from adopting.

Now Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) President Chris Sanders is telling HRC Back Story that his state may get through another year without anti-gay legislation. Says Sanders:

Tennessee's Attorney General - Bob Cooper - has stated that no current laws specifically bar gay couples from adopting in his state. Now there's a push in the General Assembly to get laws changed to ban adoption by gay couples.

Proposed legislation in the state would not only prevent gay couples from being able to adopt children but would bar heterosexual couples who are not married from adopting. Single people could still adopt, but unmarried couples could not.

The Tennessean has posted its position on the subject:

Attorney General Bob Cooper wrote an opinion - released October 11 - that said same-sex couples are eligible to adopt children as long as the adoption is found to be in the best interest of the child.

The AP reports that the Tennessee Constitution does not mention adoption, and Cooper found there were no current laws that specifically bar gay couples from adopting.