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| 6/23/2007, 6:03 p.m. EDT The Associated Press |
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Staff at a city high school used markers to black out a picture of a male student kissing his boyfriend from all copies of the school's yearbook before they were distributed to students this week.
Marion Bolden, Newark's superintendent of schools, said the photograph of Andre Jackson, 18, kissing David Escobales in East Side High School's yearbook was "illicit" and looked provocative.
"If it was either heterosexual or gay, it should have been blacked out. It's how they posed for the picture," Bolden told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Saturday's editions.
In the 4 1/2-by-5-inch photo, Jackson is seen turning his head back over his right shoulder and kissing Escobales, 19, of Allentown, Pa. It was blacked out after Russell Garris, the district's assistant superintendent who oversees the city's high schools, told Bolden he was concerned that the photo could upset parents.
The photo was among several others showing Jackson, friends and others — including heterosexual couples — that appeared on a special tribute page in the yearbook. Jackson, who paid $150 for the page, questioned the decision to black out the photo, noting that the yearbook is filled with pictures of heterosexual couples kissing.
"There is no rule about no gay pictures (or) no guys kissing," Jackson said.
"We were kissing, which everyone does when they're in a relationship. They are expressing happiness and love for the person they care about," he added. "It wasn't that I wanted everyone to see and see I'm gay. I wanted everyone to feel the love I feel."
Some fellow students agreed, noting that Jackson purchased the page and fell under the rules of no gang signs, rude gestures or graphic photos.
"If they want to kiss, that's their page," said Benilde Barroqueiro, a fellow senior. "If you don't like it, don't look at it."
Bolden said an investigation into who approved the final draft of the yearbook and the rules about what can be published in the future will be reviewed.
