Rick Dean
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http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachus..._student_group/
Seton Hall sued after rejecting bid for gay student group
3/10/2004
NEWARK, N.J. -- A gay student at Seton Hall University filed a discrimination lawsuit against the school Wednesday, charging he was improperly denied permission to start a campus gay and lesbian student group in December.
Anthony Romeo, a sophomore from Walton, N.Y., said he rejected an offer by the Roman Catholic university to sign a "memorandum of understanding" acknowledging his gr
up's existence, but demanding the right to choose its name. He said the university also wanted to prohibit the group from sponsoring religious services or social gatherings, though it would allow educat
iona
l forums.
In rejecting Romeo's proposal, the university respo
nded that it would not formally recognize any campus group, gay or otherwise, that was based solely on sexual orientation.
On Tuesday, Seton Hall spokeswoman Natalie Thigpen stood by the offer of a memorandum of understanding. Thigpen did not immediately return calls on Wednesday.
Romeo's lawyer, Thomas D. Shanahan, said he filed the suit Wednesday morning in state Superior Court in Newark, a few miles from Seton Hall's South Orange campus.
Shanahan said his most recent attempt to talk to university officials about a settlement was on Feb. 6. But, he added, "there's been no dialogue."
Seton Hall sued after rejecting bid for gay student group
3/10/2004
NEWARK, N.J. -- A gay student at Seton Hall University filed a discrimination lawsuit against the school Wednesday, charging he was improperly denied permission to start a campus gay and lesbian student group in December.
Anthony Romeo, a sophomore from Walton, N.Y., said he rejected an offer by the Roman Catholic university to sign a "memorandum of understanding" acknowledging his gr
up's existence, but demanding the right to choose its name. He said the university also wanted to prohibit the group from sponsoring religious services or social gatherings, though it would allow educat
iona
l forums.
In rejecting Romeo's proposal, the university respo
nded that it would not formally recognize any campus group, gay or otherwise, that was based solely on sexual orientation.
On Tuesday, Seton Hall spokeswoman Natalie Thigpen stood by the offer of a memorandum of understanding. Thigpen did not immediately return calls on Wednesday.
Romeo's lawyer, Thomas D. Shanahan, said he filed the suit Wednesday morning in state Superior Court in Newark, a few miles from Seton Hall's South Orange campus.
Shanahan said his most recent attempt to talk to university officials about a settlement was on Feb. 6. But, he added, "there's been no dialogue."
