Tam High Anti-Gay Attacks a Hoax
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A rash of gay-bashing incidents at Tamalpais High School was the work of a student gay leader who claimed she was the victim of hate crimes, it was disclosed yesterday.
The 17-year-old girl, a top athlete who leads the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, told authorities she was the perpetrator of the incidents, which included scrawling “die fag” on her car and at school.
“The individual’s own statements substantiated the evidence previously gathered as to the source of the vandalism and annoying phone calls,” Mill Valley Police Capt. James Wickham said in a press release.
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The girl has been suspended and could face expulsion for filing false charges, said Bob Ferguson, district school superintendent, adding officials want her to receive counseling.
“She confessed to everything,” Ferguson said. “She did admit to police that it was basically for attention.”
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In a series of incidents stretching back to November, the student claimed she was the target of hateful language, with anti-gay epithets scrawled on her car and on her school locker, and a typewritten letter sent to her home. She said she was pelted with eggs outside her home by an unknown assailant.
On April 12, five teachers at the school—some of whom are gay—received threatening voice mail messages from an anonymous caller, and “fag class” was found on the classroom door of a lesbian teacher. Adminstrators also found “die fag” written on the wall of Keyser Hall and received a typed message that used anti-gay language.
(Posted on May 9, 2005)