OMAHA- During a lengthy school board meeting on Monday night, Steve Shannon, a member of the board, alongside several concerned parents, challenged the district's decision to allow an LGBTQ club at Bennington High School. Shannon, who was elected to the seat in November, said the school-run organization, formally titled the Prism Club, "pushes ideology" and causes "irreparable harm" to Bennington's students.

The club became part of Monday's school board session after school administrators requested that the board pay several staff members, including the Prism Club's sponsor, for their time overseeing clubs at the school. The board approved the payments on a 4-2 vote, with Shannon and Tim Dreessen voting 'no.' Before Monday's meeting, Shannon posted to Facebook saying that he believes the Prism Club is "centered around sex."

A handful of parents used the meeting's public comment period to criticize the approved payments and the existence of the Prism Club at Bennington High. One parent, Mary Socha, stated also that she sees such clubs as pushing an ideology. "That doesn't sound to me that the Prism Club is just a safe place for kids to go," she said during the discussion. Prism Clubs, according to the ACLU, are student-led organizations that "provide support for LGBTQ students and educate others about LGBT issues, while engaging in awareness activities."

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