A 17-year-old gay Florida high school student who was suspended after organizing a highly-successful statewide protest against Governor Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” law now says school officials are blocking him from running for class president.
Jack Petocz was suspended for four days, he and school administrators say, for handing out several hundred small LGBTQ Pride flags just before the walkout that drew hundreds of his classmates at Flagler Palm Coast High School and thousands of students across the Sunshine State. The walkout he organized was approved by school administrators although reports at the time say barely hours before it began he was told to cancel it. That order allegedly came one day after a school board member who has opposed Petocz in the past toured his school.
Now Petocz wants to run for senior class president.
If you want to help me fight, click the link below to send an email to administrators and the superintendent of my district. It’s ridiculous queer kids have to be punished while fighting for our rights. https://t.co/oBOKZDLavb
— Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) May 17, 2022
Literary and human rights organization PEN America is honoring Petocz this month, the Associated Press reported.
Jack Petocz (@Jack_Petocz) is PEN America’s 2022 PEN/Benenson Courage Award recipient. He will receive the award at the PEN America Literary Gala in New York City on May 23. Learn more: https://t.co/eEXpNPqGW3 pic.twitter.com/IJwXSZOaLM
— PEN America (@PENamerica) May 17, 2022