Gay Yearbook Smooch - Bolden's Bad Call

A smooch is a just a smooch, no?

Marion Bolden, Newark schools superintendent, stepped in it big time when she decided to have all copies of a gay student's smooch with his boyfriend blacked out of the East Side HS yearbook. The Ledger broke the story online Friday night and it appeared in Saturday's print and online editions.

Reaction was instantaneous and predictable -- even Steven Goldstein felt called upon to comment! And the Ledger blog where the story broke (which accepts comments posts) got several thoughtful entries (see the blog here, and I have archived them here -- in case they get taken down).

As Bolden says she saw it, the photo was 'suggestive,' 'provocative,' and 'fairly illicit'.

Problem is, she apparently only looked at the page in question, and not the other pages of straight couples kissing -- and, evidently, in even MORE provocative positions.

Looking at the pic myself, all I see is a smooch. The rest must be in the eye of other beholders.

Seems another problem for Bolden is that there are no written guidelines for these personal pages -- for which the students pay $150 apiece to have their own photo and text selections included in the yearbook.

Can you say lawsuit?

Andre Jackson says he was embarrassed and humiliated. I think reasonable people will agree.

His pain should be assuaged.

And I'm sure it will be.

---

Where it's at --

• Ledger (Friday, breaking story): "Gay pair's photo blacked out of yearbook"
• Ledger (Comments): COMMENTS (8) as of 9:23 PM, Sunday 6/24
• Ledger (Saturday): "A picture of teen love Newark couldn't face"
• Ledger (Sunday): "Obscuring yearbook photo is illegal, gay advocate says"
• NY Times (Sunday): "School officials black out photo of gay student's kiss"

-- Dan Damon

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