ACLU sues school over 'Rent' production

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NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 18 (UPI) -- The Southern California high school that canceled a production of the musical "Rent" is being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU claims that Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach has an officially sanctioned "sexist and homophobic environment" on campus, The Orange County (Calif.) Register reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said the lawsuit accuses school administrators of "permitting and sanctioning an atmosphere that is hostile to female, lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students in general, and has led to despicable threats of violence against one student in particular."

Last month, the school canceled an edited version of the rock opera whose gay characters use drugs and battle AIDS.

The newspaper noted that the school drama instructor said his principal killed the play because of its gay characters, but the principal says otherwise.