Another "hate crime" hoax

Keri Brenner:

A rash of gay-bashing incidents at Tamalpais High School was the work of a student gay leader who claimed she was the victim of hate crimes, it was disclosed yesterday.

The 17-year-old girl, a top athlete who leads the school's Gay-Straight Alliance, told authorities she was the perpetrator of the incidents, which included scrawling "die fag" on her car and at school.

"The individual's own statements substantiated the evidence previously gathered as to the source of the vandalism and annoying phone calls," Mill Valley Police Capt. James Wickham said in a press release.

Other incidents involved teachers who got threatening phone messages and a typed message using anti-gay language that was sent to administrators.

"Evidence developed during the course of the investigation indicated that the student/victim was actually the person" responsible for the crimes, Wickham said. "It has been determined that all the incidents have been committed by a single individual."

The student was not identified by police.

Contacted at her home in Mill Valley yesterday, the girl declined comment but denied involvement in the case. "I've got to go," she said, before hanging up the phone.

The girl has been suspended and could face expulsion for filing false charges, said Bob Ferguson, district school superintendent, adding officials want her to receive counseling.

"She confessed to everything," Ferguson said. "She did admit to police that it was basically for attention."

"The good news is that it validates what we've always thought about our student body - the students are very accepting and embracing of everyone," Ferguson said. Tam High students "kept wondering how this could happen at their school, but unfortunately they were let down by one of their classmates."

The hoax affected the entire community, he noted. "Not only was Tam High under attack, but the entire Tamalpais-Mill Valley community was under attack," Ferguson added.

Ferguson confirmed the girl, a top wrestler, was withdrawn by the district late last week as the high school's athlete of the year. A Marin Athletic Foundation dinner honoring top athletes from local high schools is scheduled Monday.

Both Wickham and Marin County Sheriff Sgt. Mike Crain said they were closing their joint investigation and referring the case to the Marin County District Attorney's office for review. The student was not arrested.

"We are confident that the person responsible has been identified," Crain said in a separate press release yesterday.

Chris Holleran, principal of Tamalpais High, said that students will have the opportunity to receive counseling about the matter starting next week.

"You want to give students a chance to talk about these things," he said.

Paula Pilecki, executive director of San Anselmo's Spectrum, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group, was surprised that police released a statement on the matter.

"It is unfortunate that this information is being released to the public in this manner," she said. "The next few weeks will no doubt be difficult for everyone involved, and I hope the community reacts with compassion."

In a series of incidents stretching back to November, the student claimed she was the target of hateful language, with anti-gay epithets scrawled on her car and on her school locker, and a typewritten letter sent to her home. She said she was pelted with eggs outside her home by an unknown assailant.

On April 12, five teachers at the school - some of whom are gay - received threatening voice mail messages from an anonymous caller, and "fag class" was found on the classroom door of a lesbian teacher. Adminstrators also found "die fag" written on the wall of Keyser Hall and received a typed message that used anti-gay language.

News and Blogosphere:

Girl Admits She Faked Gay-Bashing Incidents

Alleged gay-bashing at Marin high school a hoax, police said

Anti-Gay Attack at California School a Hoax Perpetrated by Homosexual Student

Tam High homophobe is a...homosexual?