A Gilbert High School senior is asking for help.

Jerryn Johnston, an openly gay student at Gilbert High School, was recently the target of hate crimes, including potentially dangerous vandalism to his car. Johnston asked for support through letters or presence at Monday’s Gilbert School Board meeting.

“[Before] it was just me and my mom – it was easy for them to look the other way and pretend it’s not going on,” Johnston said. “I’m not trying to change anyone’s beliefs – this is about safety.”

Johnston and his mother, Sue Ellen Tuttle, spoke to a crowd of 35 people Monday in the Cardinal Room of the Memorial Union as a part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance Awareness Days. Johnston spoke about his experiences as a gay student at Gilbert High School.

“I came out in 1999, at the end of my freshman year,” Johnston said.

Tuttle, communications specialist for the college of Family and Consumer Sciences, said having an openly gay son has been a difficult experience for her at times.

“Being the parent of a gay child is a new experience I had not anticipated in my life,” she said, adding that she was raised in a fundamentalist home. “I would hate to think what life would be like for him and me if I was still in that perspective.”

Johnston said despite the overwhelming support he has been receiving, it is still very difficult.

“Several times I cried in the bathrooms [at school],” he said. “It’s been very financially stressful, but it’s not just my car, it’s me.

“I can’t live this way.”

Johnston said he experienced an overwhelming amount of stress during the harassment incidents.

Tuttle has felt the stress as well.

“When your son gets to the point that he walks up Highway 69 at 6 o’clock at night in his black wrestling sweats, you want to scream,” she said.

Johnston, who has had five tires punctured on his car and numerous loosened lug nuts – all while on Gilbert school property – spoke about the struggles he and his mother are facing with the Gilbert School Board.

Tuttle told the school it needs to take responsibility for the vandalism to Johnston’s car because it is happening repeatedly on school property and is the only way for Johnston to get from Gilbert to Iowa State, where he takes classes.

“They said they would try and help out with that, but won’t take responsibility for it,” Tuttle said. “They were not getting the point that it is targeted, repeated. This is a hate crime.”

The two appealed to the school board for help. Tuttle requested the board discuss the harassment against her son and offered a reward for information leading to the identity of those involved in the crimes.

She also wants to add sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy.

Tuttle said the school board refused to add the issues to its agenda, but offered to let Tuttle and Johnston speak at a public forum during their meeting, an ordeal for Tuttle.

“[There were] board members who sat and listened and looked at you . blankly,” Tuttle said.

Since then, Tuttle said the board has agreed to put discrimination and harassment policies on the agenda for their April 8 meeting, but they are discussion items, not action items.

“Lots of people think there isn’t a problem and that I’m just trying to cause problems,” Johnston said.

“They don’t want to take responsibility and that’s not acceptable.”

Both Tuttle and Johnston said teachers privately voice support, although they are afraid to say anything publicly due to the attitude of the school board and some parents.

“I think the administration would be quite surprised to see the support that’s there privately,” Tuttle said.

Johnston agreed, saying the teachers collected $500 for a reward, which has grown to $2,500 thanks to other donations.

Adam Calder, LGBTAA logistics coordinator, attended the discussion and said he really admires Johnston.

“Jerryn is just a shining example of what we all can be,” said Calder, freshman in liberal arts and sciences. “I almost envy him. I wish I would have been him in high school and been more out and not let things slide.”