Rutherford Schools Asked to Replace LGBT Posters

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee is asking the Rutherford County school board to reconsider a decision to take down posters identifying classrooms as safe spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

According to the ACLU, the posters were hung at Central Magnet School at the request of the school's Gay Straight Alliance. They hung alongside posters from other student groups for the majority of the last school year.

ACLU-TN Legal Director Thomas Castelli said in a news release that removing the poster violates the free speech rights of students and teachers.

In a Thursday letter, the ACLU asked the board to immediately reauthorize the display of the posters.

A call by The Associated Press to the school board's attorney on Thursday afternoon was not immediately returned.