Lesbian teens shake up Champlin Park pep fest

by Chris Williams, Associated Press

Minneapolis (AP) - A civil rights group is taking Minnesota's largest school district to court to force it to permit two lesbian teens to walk into pep fest as a couple on Monday afternoon.

A lawyer for the Southern Poverty Law Center says court papers were filed Friday afternoon against the Anoka-Hennepin School District.

At issue are two 18-year-old women who were chosen by the students of Champlin Park High School as royalty for the annual Snow Days Pep Fest.

Anoka-Hennepin schools spokeswoman Mary Olson says traditionally the royal court walks into the assembly as male-female couples, but the lesbian couple said they weren't comfortable with that.

Olson says it was decided Friday that the royal court will walk in individually or accompanied by an adult.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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