In 1995, a group of East High students asked to form a gay-straight alliance, resulting in a firestorm of debate over homosexuality. The Salt Lake City Board of Education responded by eliminating all non-curriculum clubs, a move that took out groups including Young Republicans and Students Against Drunk Driving.

Students protested. The Legislature held a special session to discuss club restrictions. National headlines and lawsuits ensued. The district won one federal lawsuit challenging club policy. But in a second, a judge ruled it must allow People Respecting Important Social Movements (PRISM), which students wanted to create to discuss issues affecting the gay community, until the lawsuit was resolved.

The school board in 2000 allowed all clubs to meet either as curriculum-related "school clubs" or extracurricular "student clubs," essentially ending the fight.

The East High Gay-Straight Alliance today is a well-attended, service-centered student club, assistant principal Jeff Herr said.

"They haven't been controversial or anything," Herr said. "Frankly, I'm not sure if half the kids in school know what the GSA is — now. That's how mainstream the commitment and the contribution of the club is."

Today, 14 gay-straight alliances have been established in Utah public schools, said Stan Burnett, director of youth programs for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Utah, which recently hosted an alliance summit.

Provo High School's alliance is the first in Utah County and among the newest. It started meeting in October when attorneys told the district to let the students meet and firm up its club policy, which now distinguishes between curriculum clubs and non-curriculum clubs, which require parental permission slips.

"We have asked for an opinion from the attorney general's office," said Provo District student services director Greg Hudnall, who was surprised by Buttars' efforts. "We want to make sure we're on solid ground. If the Legislature gets a new bill passed, we would want a new opinion from the attorney general."

The Provo alliance brought the issue to a head again, Ruzicka said. But the legislation is about more than that.

"It's about . . . having a safe place to send our children to school where they don't have to worry about the environment, where parents can trust the teachers and advisers there to uphold high moral standards," Ruzicka said. "This does not help the young people; this is very damaging to them."

But Hillcrest High School assistant principal David Breen says the alliance there — one of four that have been set up in Jordan District schools over the years — is much like a support group.