EDITOR’S NOTE: “You Asked” is a new feature of The Tidewater News. Curious about something in Western Tidewater? Send your anonymous question to youasked@tidewaternews.com and we’ll do our best to answer it.

BY GWEN ALBERS/MANAGING EDITOR
gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com

FRANKLIN—No.

Franklin High School Principal Rodney Berry said the students interested in forming the Gay Straight Alliance could not find a staff adviser, which is required.

“You have to have a person on the faculty staff that will supervise the meetings,” Berry said. “Apparently the person (in mind) couldn’t do it. The last thing I heard was they were trying to find a person.”

Franklin sisters Hannah and Grace Kreider, in a November interview with The Tidewater News, said they wanted to form the Alliance. Hannah, a junior and open lesbian, and Grace, a straight freshman, wanted to provide a better connection between gay and straight teens — a place where they can talk to others. The tentative first meeting was set for Nov. 9 at the school.

The Kreiders got permission to form the Alliance from Berry. The girls also understood there was a teacher interested in serving as the group’s advisor. That didn’t pan out.

“The school rules require that a teacher must be present at the meeting of any organization,” Hannah Kreider said. “We did contact nearly every teacher, and as of yet, we have not been able to find a teacher to attend. Some teachers were not willing, and the few that were, are the ones that are too busy because they are involved in every other activity.”

“We haven’t given up,” she added. “This is our second year of trying and we will try again.”