A camp intern was fired from the Cuyamaca Outdoor School in Descanso on Feb. 17 for discussing lesbianism with sixth-grade campers from the Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine. The students were on a one-week stay at the campground.

Girls at the campground were calling one another lesbians, prompting a 22-year-old intern to step in, said Jim Esterbrooks, spokesperson for the San Diego County Office of Education, which oversees the outdoor school.

“From the conversations I have had with Brian Swagerty, director of the Outdoor Education Program for San Diego County, the account that is more accurate is she allegedly or reportedly said, ‘prominent leaders are lesbian and a percentage of you, this group here, is going to be lesbian.’

“That hasn’t been refuted by anybody and I’ve had a lot of conversations with the folks that are part of this,” he said.

Cuyamaca’s Principal Greg Schuett learned of the intern’s conversation with the students the following day, questioned the intern and subsequently fired her the same day.

Esterbrooks said the school’s position is that the conversation was inappropriate to have with students in a school setting.

“The most damaging remarks that I’ve heard attributed to her were generally reported to me as an endorsement of lesbian lifestyle. Given the tenor of the times and the training that staff receives, any kind of discussion on this topic beyond admonishing the girls not to call one another lesbian is inappropriate.”

He said the intern underwent over 80 hours of training to become a counselor, and during that training she was specifically instructed to avoid discussing anything related to race, religion or sexual orientation.

“They’re advised in specific terms that everything they say and do with children needs to be appropriate,” he added. “They are told to imagine that the parents of the children they are working with are sitting right next to those children as they talk to them. They’re advised that the use of race, religion and sexuality are extremely sensitive and should be avoided.”

Esterbrooks said the training includes a science curriculum, a social interaction curriculum, and health and safety emergency procedures.

“It’s spread over several weeks and the 80 hours can be extended depending upon the progress of the staff member. There are people up there now that are well past 80 hours,” he said.

Joan MacQueen Middle School principal Katy Woodward sent a letter on Feb. 18 to all the parents of the students who stayed in the East Wind cabin at Cuyamaca.

“The topic of the conversation was lesbianism and the personal opinions of the staff member were expressed,” she wrote. “Since this is a topic we feel should be discussed in home environments and not school environments, we encourage you to take some time and speak with your daughter about the conversation.”