When the teenage girl, a lesbian, went to her principal at Ponce de Leon High School to ask him to help put an end to her classmates' teasing, MSNBC reported, "he told her homosexuality is wrong, outed her to her parents and ordered her to stay away from children." When her friends showed their support for her by wearing pro-equality t-shirts, they were suspended.

At the behest of the mother of one of those suspended student supporters, the American Civil Liberties Union stepped in to sue the school district and won. Still, many Ponce de Leon residents have sided with the (now former) principal - they don't understand what he did wrong and don't like being criticized for their opposition to homosexuality.

This sad story serves as yet another reminder of how far this country has to go in the fight for equal rights, highlighting the importance of the work being done by pro-equality organizations such as the Religious Action Center. As we anticipate the November elections, I've got my fingers crossed that no matter who sits in the Oval Office come January, he will encourage our lawmakers to enact laws that both protect and respect GLBT individuals.