Update on New Jersey Yearbook Incident

Newark School Superintendent Marion Bolden apologized to student Andre Jackson for blacking out a yearbook photo of him and his boyfriend David Escobales kissing. She said the district would reissue an “un-redacted version” of the yearbook to any student at the school who wants one.

Jackson is disappointed about the apology, however, since it was only done through a press release, not to him directly. According to an e-mail from Garden State Equality sent this morning:

Andre also wants the Superintendent to apologize to the LGBTI community.

He suggests that if the school district won’t reprint and redistribute the yearbooks because of the expense, it should copy the page with the photo and make it available for free. We told Andre that if the school district balks at even this expense, Garden State Equality would pick up the tab to copy the page.

Finally, Andre came up with the best idea: He wants to team up with Garden State Equality and Newark LGBTI community leaders to form a committee on LGBTI diversity and sensitivity in the Newark schools—and he wants the Superindendent to meet with this committee four times a year.

Garden State Equality also asserted that they believe the school district’s removal of the photo is illegal under state law. No word yet on whether this will mean a lawsuit.

My sympathy and admiration go out to Jackson and Escobales. They are brave young men. I hope that whatever legal and political ramifications this incident has, they are also able to nurture and grow their own relationship.