Apr 20, 2015 3 min read

Allegations of a reported “lynch list” and physical harassment of gay students and their supporters at McGuffey High School are unfounded so far, according to a statement released Monday by McGuffey Superintendent Erica Kolat.

“On Thursday, April 16, 2015, allegations of harassment were brought to administration’s attention following the McGuffey High School Gay-Straight Alliance Club’s observance (Wednesday) of GLSEN’s ‘Day of Silence.’ Administration and school police officers have been investigating all allegations and continue to do so. At this time, no witnesses have seen the rumored ‘lynch list’ that was mentioned in previous news reports. Additionally, no statements have included physical harassment. Our investigation is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information to contact McGuffey School District administration immediately. McGuffey School District is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment for all children,” she wrote.

When asked about the list, in which gay students and their supporters purportedly are named, Roger Szuminsky, school police chief, said, “We have heard that. (The investigation) absolutely continues until we get to the bottom of it.”

A group of McGuffey High School students sparked controversy after allegedly holding an “Anti-Gay Day” during school Thursday in protest of the National Day of Silence, an annual event intended to bring attention to bullying of the LGBT community.

Accounts of as many as 100 students, mostly boys, wearing flannel shirts and writing messages like “anti-gay” on their hands have proliferated online. Since news of the protest broke, allegations of death threats, bullying and physical altercations against those on both sides of the issue have been posted online, including on the Observer-Reporter’s website.

Melissa Shingle, mother of one of the boys pictured in flannel shirts in photos posted online, said some of the boys have received threats against their lives.

“These eight boys did not do any shoving or bullying.” Shingle said. “These boys do not want harm to come to anybody. These eight boys are being attacked.”

Shingle said she and her husband, Ed, went before the school board in the past to express their concern about class time being used to promote school clubs. She said they are not opposed to the GSA club, in particular, but to any club activities taking place during school hours.

“We just wanted people to know that the club exists,” she said. “We don’t believe in that lifestyle, but we’re not stopping anyone from having a club. They have the same rights as anyone else does. It’s being misconstrued as hate.”

Shingle said that the boys wore flannel not to intimidate any group but to “represent their beliefs and rights as Christians.” She said her son was made to take down a sign with a Bible verse on it that he hung on a wall of the school. She said he was told by a school official that legal action would be taken against him if he did it again.

“The Christian fellowship club is not allowed to promote,” Shingle said. “Kids feel they are not being afforded expression.”

Representatives of Washington County Gay Straight Alliance have been attending McGuffey school board meetings for months after learning that people were coming before the board and making comments in opposition to the school’s GSA.

Attempts to contact Assistant Superintendent Laura B. Jacob, Principal Mark J. Bonus, GSA adviser Margaret Mizell and school board President Carl Group, and to seek further comment from Kolat, were unsuccessful.