David Dixon, a teacher who was fired from his Haralson County High School drama position last year after showing a scene from a gay-themed movie to his class, spoke to GA Voice today about a planned protest to be held in support of a Texas student trying to establish a gay/straight alliance at her high school.

Nikki Peet of Corpus Christi first approached Flour Bluff school officials in November with the idea of establishing a GSA, only to be told by officials, including school principal James Crenshaw, that such a club would not be approved, according to media reports.

Dixon, who is straight, said the planned gathering on March 5 at Buchanan Square in Haralson will be a silent statement of support for LGBT students.

“It's not a political gathering,” Dixon said. “It's just people walking around the square. The reason we're going to be silent is because people here don't want to talk about it.”

The description of the event on its Facebook page says “no slogans, no shouting, no trouble.”

Dixon said he expects a small crowd, perhaps no more than 12 people, and at least two of the participants are gay. He acknowledged that he has not spoken to police about the gathering but added he planned to meet with local officials today to discuss the protest.

“I don't want to get arrested,” Dixon joked.

The climate for LGBT people in rural Georgia forces many people to stay in the closet, Dixon said.

“People here are more likely to accept the local bootlegger than a gay person. It's not like you can catch it [being gay] and it's not like it's easy,” he said.