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LESBIANS and GAY MEN

 

 

] Vol. 1 No. 3

free

April, 1986 l

Vermont Law School bans military recruiters

Vermont Law School Dean,
Jonathan Chase, recently barred the
military from recruiting on the School's
campus. Chase based his actions on
the School's existing non-discrimination
policy which says in part that,
"Discrimination based on age. color,
handicap, marital or parental status,
sexual preference, national origin, race
religion, or sex shall not exist in the

Law School. This policy applies to all
aspects of administration, education,
employment, financial aid, student

activities and other school administered
programs.

Last Fall, students met with the
Dean to bring the conflict between the
school's policy and military recruitment
to his attention. The military has a
long-standing policy against the
recruitment of homosexuals. Vermont
Law School does not currently have a
procedure to ensure that employment
recruiters adhere to the School's
non-discrimination policy. The students
that met with Dean Chase suggested
that such a procedure be adopted. One
method employed at other schools is to
have each employment recruiter sigh a
statement saying that they adhere to
the School's non-discrimination policy.
This insures equality in employment
opportunities for all students on
campus.

Dean Chase’s decision to bar
military recruitment on campus is a
laudable step in the right direction,
according to one of the students that
met with the Dean. But, she maintains
that it does not go far enough.

Regarding non-military employers,
the Dean said, “We assume they
conform with our policy.’ Dean Chase
stated that there are no plans at this
time, to question other employers about
their hiring (or firing) policies.

Student opinion on the decision is
mixed. Many students agree with the
Dean‘s action and find it incompatible
for their school, which is opposed to
the discrimination of homosexuals, to
allow the military to recruit on its
campus. Other students disagree. The

    

Jonathan Chase

Student Bar Association (Student
Council) voted almost unanimously
against the Dean's policy. The vote is
a non-binding show of the Student
Council sentiment.

The issue was also raised at the

House rejects

The Vermont House of
Representatives turned down a proposal
to prohibit rental housing
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation.

On February 26 the House, by a
voice vote, rejected an amendment to
the pending Landlord/Tenant Bill which
would have added ‘sexual orientation"
to the legislation's anti-discrimination
clause. The bill, which would regulate
a variety of aspects of landlord/tenant
relations, went on to pass the House
and is awaiting Senate action.

The amendment's sponsor, Rep.
Peter Youngbear (D-Plainfield)
explained that he introduced the sexual
orientation language after hearing
complaints of discrimination from
lesbian and gay constituents.

lMarch lst Board of Trustec‘s meeting
where students asked that the Dean's

actions be reversed. The Trustees
assigned the issue to its Executive
Committee for -review. At press time,
ithe proposal, before the Executive

Committee, was to change the wording
of the statement to read ‘no unlngfinl
discrimination.’ Since it is not
‘currently "unlawful" to discriminate
‘against lesbians and gay men, this
'effectively takes the teeth out of the
statement.

Persons interested in supporting
Dean Chase's actions may write to him
or Mr. Hilton Wicke, Esq., Chair of the
Board of Trustees, in care of Vermont
Law School, South Royalton, Vermont,
05068. Your letters can also urge the
adoption of a more comprehensive
check on employer compliance with the
non-discrimination policy.

Vermont Law School does not have
‘a lesbian and gay students’
organization. The majority of lesbians
and gay men at the law school are
very much in the closet. Our straight
allies are reluctant to support the Dean
as it means a sacrifice on their part of
certain recruitment opportunities.
Therefore, any and all support is
needed and welcome.

amendment

Lesbian and gay community
activist, who were not told in advance
that the amendment would be offered,
were not surprised that it was defeated.

continued, page 10

HTLV hearing held

A public hearing on House Bill
622, the HTLV-Ill antibody
discrimination bill, was held at the
«State House in Montpelier on March l3.

Dr. Heather Wisltik was one of several
people who testified at the hearing.
Transcript of her testimony is on p. 5.

The hearing consisted of a
presentation by State Epidemiologist Dr.
Richard Vogt and a panel discussion
and question period with six expert

witnesses. _
continued, page 10