Show I aN w. 1 u rr p 44 riI ri I 47 I r 11 l r a fryu 1 a I V Va r 3 j N 4 t r 1 i terr ter r r ya l i l. l lz r h t I- I tr r i Al t tT 7 i i r r. r rf F Fl ti l 4 fj JP i 1 r S1 ry I n Io o NJ n we a a. ry fI f yr J c 1 c W. W x n y tY co o r. r y N O CI St r 1 4 r JC CIE c CIc I E V I Shayna Kamilar and Vinnie Mascola spray painted their sentiment on the parking lot and school sidewalks in response to an gay anti slur painted on a school rock in Howell Mich Students defend Gay rights right Peter The Washington Post When someone painted God hates fags on the school rock at Howell High Shayna Kamilar did not hesitate She called her friends told her mother she was going out and left the house We knew we had to paint over it said Kamilar an year old senior It had to happen Kamilar and her pals used 18 cans of spray paint to cover the rock and write the word LOVE gy dozens q of times on sc school ool H i rS W V They accused of vandalism vandal from m class i and V barred from Saturdays Saturday's graduation The community reacted strongly praising the original nal spirit of the rock-painting rock expedition while acknowledging that the he extended artwork may have gone too far More than students protested the punishment punishment punishment pun pun- and parents scheduled a small backyard graduation ceremony for the groups group's three seniors Now the ceremony has been moved to a football field One teacher will speak Another will hand out the diplomas The valedictorian will repeat the address he is s giving earlier in the day The school photographer photographer photographer pho pho- will record the event for free Even the superintendent called to make sure the seniors have caps gowns and yearbooks I think we got punished over but I 1 still got to stand up for what I 1 believe in said Vinnie Mascola a year old senior who says he is often called a derogatory name because he works on school plays What Wh t te we e did was Yas small mall but it got bigand and we wen we IJ 1 I got people thinking tI i. i J i I At a time of profound political opposition to sex same-sex marriage with national studies studies studies stud stud- ies showing significant schoolyard harassment of gay teen-agers teen the positive response at Howell High and a suburban Detroit school this year buoyed advocates of equal rights for gay men and lesbians To see allies at that young age is very heartening and encouraging said Leslie Thompson executive director of Affirmations a s support group in Ferndale Mich Noting the rise in speaking speaking speaking speak- speak ing requests from Michigan schools and the more empathetic tone of hot hotline line calls from parents she said things are getting better It was a Sunday night in early May when Kamilar learned that someone had painted an gay anti-gay message across a promotion for Pippin the school theater production production production tion which had an openly gay male lead Kamilar and three schoolmates were determined to defend their friend I t. ll J i i- r HJ j LU a J J. J JI I Searching Search ng fur i paint the r. r first fist 1 instinct tin tVa was t to q be unkind to o bash y Let ers They considered biblical verses but settled on a single word as the most eloquent eloquent elo quent protest I did something that changed a lot of things I 1 did something that will be remembered said Kamilar a saxophonist st and self described self described believer in school spirit I did something that may just a littIe little lit lit- tIe the bit help Howell come around |