Members of a Pennsylvania family continue to be targeted for harassment two months after suing their local school district for alleged anti-gay harassment, their attorney says.

Attorney David Long said Ronald and Diane Dahle of Titusville sued the Titusville Area School District in June, claiming that widespread anti-gay harassment forced their son Timothy to quit school.

In recent weeks, Long said, the words "Fag Equals Death" were painted on the Dahle's home, Diane Dahle was spit at by youths, and Ronald Dahle's employer received criticism from some residents for employing him.

Timothy Dahle continues to be isolated in the community, Long added.

"It's a tense atmosphere for the Dahle's," Long said. "They've received some support, privately, from friends--but not public support. In my experience, the public tends to be reluctant to criticize their local school district, for fear of retaliation."

Titusville is located in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Long said Ronald, Mary and Timothy Dahle declined to comment for this story on his advice.

Timothy Dahle, 18, dropped out of school in February, midway through his junior year of high school.

While a student, Timothy Dahle complained to school officials about alleged anti-gay harassment on numerous occasions during a five-year period, Long said.

"They [school officials] did nothing to stop the abuse," Long said. "Instead, they treated Tim as the problem. My client was safer on the street, rather than at school. He was a captive individual at school, and nobody tried to reign in the things."

In August 1998, Timothy Dahle attempted to commit suicide, said Long.
"It wasn't an attention-getting ploy," Long said. "This boy wanted to be dead, rather than go back to school. He took a huge number of pills, and had to be hospitalized for several days."

Timothy Dahle is identified as "gay or bisexual," in the lawsuit.

Long said some students badgered, baited and tormented Timothy Dahle on a daily basis. They called him names such as "pansy-asses motherfucker," "scum," "pussy," "bitch," and "cunt," according to courtroom documents.

Timothy Dahle also allegedly was beaten in a school hallway, and pushed down a flight of stairs by students, Long said.

Dahle also received about 15 written notes from students, several of which requested oral and/or anal sex from Dahle, according to the lawsuit.

James Marnen, attorney for the school district, disputed the allegations in the lawsuit.
"We're in substantial disagreement with the contentions of the plaintiffs," Marnen said. "We're not saying that kids never teased this boy [Timothy Dahle]. That's what kids do. But when it [teasing] did happen, we[school officials] dealt with it appropriately. And there was no chronic pattern of harassment that we knew about, and were indifferent to, over a long period of time."

Marnen also said he was unaware of any retaliatory acts committed against the Dahles since their lawsuit was filed.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Sean J McLaughlin, who declined to comment for this story.
Long said it may take two years before the case reaches a jury.

The Dahles are seeking an unspecified amount in damages, and policy changes at the Titusville schools, so that future acts of anti-gay harassment do not occur, Long said.

Currently, Timothy Dahle is not working, and has no current plans to complete his high-school education or to attend home-schooling, Long said.
"Tim is isolated in the community," Long said. "He was devastated by what occurred in the Titusville schools. It may take awhile before he is capable psychologically of completing his studies."
Timothy Dahle wants to move from Titusville,Long said.
"Tim wants to leave town," Long said. "He doesn't see how he can have a future in Titusville. But he's optimistic that his lawsuit will do some good. He's hoping that maybe some other child in some other district won't have to go through what he's gone through all these years."

Jack Kressley, co-facilitator of the Du Bois chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, praised the Dahles for filing their lawsuit.
"These lawsuits are absolutely crucial to end the type of harassment that some gay students endure while they're in school," Kressley told PGN.
David Buckel, senior staff attorney with Lambda Legal Deense and Education Fund, said about 20 similar lawsuits have been filed recently across the country.
"Parents and attorneys are realizing that they can do something for young people who are at-risk for anti-gay harassment in the schools," Buckel said.
In 1996, Buckel said client Jim Nabozny, received about $900,000 from a school system in Wisconsin settling a harassment lawsuit. Nabozny allegedly endured severe anti-gay harassment as a student in the system, Buckel said.
Buckel said school officials can do many things to prevent anti-gay harassment, such as forming support groups for sexual-minority students, and sponsoring sensitivity sessions.
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Copyright 2000 Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network.