A kiss has conjured up controversy in Alice, Texas.
A male cheerleader says he was kicked off the squad and suspended after he was caught kissing another male student on campus.
The young man spent countless hours practicing every day for years to make the varsity cheer squad, and he had it all taken away from him in an instant.
Perhaps most surprising, is the way the student was caught, not in person by a teacher, but by surveillance camera, leading the young man to believe he was being watched and targeted by school officials simply because of his sexual orientation.
"They never check cameras for anything unless something is stolen," the young man said, asking not be identified. "We would be the ones getting caught because I'm sure we were the only ones, sexual orientation wise, being caught like that."
The boy said public displays of affection are a relatively common occurrence at Alice High School, and he believes that the principal would not have targeted him had he been caught kissing a female student.
"In this school kissing is everywhere, if that were the case, suspending everyone for that, half the school would be suspended," he said.
The district superintendent says he couldn't comment about the matter because of privacy issues.
The family said that they were told during a meeting Thursday with school administrators that the principal's decision will be under review, and if there are any changes to that decision they will be notified sometime at the beginning of next week.
They say if their son isn't put back on the cheerleading squad they will pursue further action.
