StudentsFirst rescinds Ragan's 'Reformer of the Year' recognition
State Rep. John D. Ragan, R-Oak Ridge
NASHVILLE — Responding to an online petition drive launched by an 11-year-old Oak Ridge boy, StudentsFirst has rescinded its designation of state Rep. John Ragan as a ‘reformer of the year” because he sponsored a so-called “the don’t say gay bill.”
“His introduction of ill-conceived and harmful legislation including HB 1332 — which would have cultivated a culture of bullying — does not represent the type of leadership we look for in our legislative champions,” wrote Michelle Rhee, founder and president of StudentsFirst, on the organization’s website. “Simply put, we must hold our ‘reformers of the year’ to a higher standard. So let me be very clear — policies that are intended to single out any student based on their sexual orientation and treat them differently are wrong.”
The rescinding of Ragan’s recognition came five days after Marcel Neergaard, 11, and his parents started a petition at MoveOn.org urging StudentsFirst to do so. On Thursday, it had collected 55,034 supporters.
In a Huffington Post article, the youth said he was bullied in school because he is gay