The Cox High School Gay Straight Alliance assembly originally scheduled for December 5 will take place on Monday, January 30 at 6:30 PM at Cox High School. The original event was abruptly cancelled one day prior by the Virginia Beach School Superintendent’s office.
Citing a policy that school clubs are not allowed to meet during regular school hours, the decision came after weeks of planning and coordination between the GSA, Cox High principal Randi Riesbeck and the Superintendent’s office.
The resulting public outcry led GSA faculty advisor Vee Milosevic and GSA student president Wesley McKee to make Monday’s after hours event open to the community at large.
Said McKee, “We have received an immense amount of support from the community about our event. More and more schools are starting GSAs because of our event and it’s amazing to be a part of something bigger than us.”
Monday’s assembly has been renamed “Love is Love: A Celebration of Gay Straight Alliance.” Panel speakers include Michael Berlucchi, President of Hampton Roads Pride, Officer Shelley Meister, Virginia Beach Police Department’s LGBT liaison officer and several students.
Following the panel discussion, the GSA will host a meet in greet in the lobby with live music by BJ Griffin, refreshments, an informational table hosted by the LGBT Center of Hampton Roads and a gallery of student artwork.
Said Milosevic, “The support we have felt from the community has been so powerful and encouraging. Our GSA students have come together to bring a message of unity to their peers and our community, and I’m so unbelievably proud of this group of students in the Gay Straight Alliance. Each day we can all choose the life we want to live and the type of difference we want to make in the world around us.”
The Assembly will take place at 6:30 PM on Monday, January 30 in the Cox High School auditorium. Doors open at 5:30. The general public is invited to attend. Due to limited parking, guests are encouraged to carpool.
