Montrose Couple Blasts School for Not Letting Daughter Give Speech on Gay Marriage [VIDEO]
A gay couple from Montrose Michigan says their daughter was told she would not be able to deliver a speech about gay marriage as the topic of an assignment.
Students at Hill McCloy High School in Montrose were given an assignment that asked them to "Take a Stand" on a topic, and speak about why they are in favor of, or against it.
Destiny McDermitt, who is a junior this year, asked if she could choose gay marriage as her topic, and was told no. McDermitt picked the topic because she has two moms and feels strongly about the laws and feelings that surround her family's circumstances.
Her mother, Angela McDermitt-Jackson, tells MLive that the school's decision angers her.
“We’re grown adults. These are our children," she said. "We went through issues when we decided to be together, but these are our children. They don’t need to be subjected to it.”
The only restrictions placed on students' topics were those that had been covered by other classes or topics that were awkward or inappropriate for a school audience.
The teacher -- whose name has been withheld by school officials -- told Destiny that discussing gay marriage in class could offend some students. When asked if her classmates could be surveyed to determine if anyone would be offended, Destiny's request was denied.
Several students, including Destiny McDermitt, have written letters of protest to school administrators for not letting McDermitt speak about the topic.
McDermitt has also requested that she be transferred to another class.