Chambersburg Area Senior High School has been given temporary permission for a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club to meet, after the school was threatened with legal action from the Pennsylvania ACLU due to their decision to block efforts to create the group. On February 27, the Chambersburg school board voted 5-4 against the official formation of  the GSA. The decision was immediately met with fierce criticism from the Central PA community – as well as attracted national headlines. An editorial in The Public Opinion, asked of the school board, “This is how a modern school district operates? With callous disregard for oppressed and isolated young people and willful negligence when it comes to tax dollars? ” A Change.org petition in favor of reversing the decision was created by a Chambersburg graduate, Thomas McCalmont, which has over 6,000 signatures.

Shippensburg Area Senior High School, a neighboring high school, has had a GSA in place for eight years. Waynesboro High School, also in Franklin County, has had a GSA since 2009. LGBTQ and ally students at Chambersburg Area High School have been meeting unofficially as a GSA for two years.

Legally, if Chambersburg High School bans the formation of a GSA, they will also have to end all other extra-curricular clubs, including student government. The Pennsylvania ACLU has given Chambersburg a deadline of Wednesday, March 28, to make a final decision, before the organization takes action. The school board plans on meeting tonight, April 27, to discuss the future of a GSA at Chambersburg High School.