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By Elena Corvalán, from Salta

The Salta LGBTIQ Pride collective called for a "Bracelet, Flag, and Kiss-In demonstration against discrimination" by administrators at the Santa María School against a 16-year-old gay student and four classmates who were denied admission after showing solidarity with him. Yesterday, Salta's Minister of Education, Analía Berruezo, met with the parents of the five students, but her attempt at mediation yielded no progress.

[READ ALSO: Salta: Homophobia in a Catholic school]

The demonstration is scheduled for 10 a.m. next Friday and will take place at the school gates. “Bring ribbon in the colors of diversity to make bracelets, signs with slogans against discrimination, and pride flags. We are going to make the voice of sexual dissidence heard until the right of admission is abolished in all institutions in Salta because no one has the right to discriminate against, hate, or persecute dissident identities,” the group stated in a brief press release.

The interview on Radio Con Vos with the student's father, Jorge Coraita

On September 28, a student was pressured by the principal and vice-principal of Santa María School to remove a multicolored bracelet symbolizing sexual diversity. The student refused to remove the symbol, but, according to his father, lawyer Jorge Coraita, was "very shaken, very hurt" by the pressure from the authorities, to the point that he asked his father to withdraw him from classes. Weeks later, the school decided not to admit four classmates for the 2019 school year who had shown solidarity with him by sending him messages on social media and taking photos with the "fuck you" sign superimposed on the school's crest.

#SaltaLaLinda My eldest grandson, with an impeccable academic and behavioral record, was EXPELLED from the Santa María School in Salta for defending a gay classmate from the cowardly aggression and humiliation to which he was subjected by a counselor of that school.

— Ana (@AnaLaprofe484) December 8, 2018

Although the school claimed that they had committed a serious offense by writing an insult near the institution's emblem, both Coraita and the lawyer Carlos Saravia, who represents the mother of one of the boys who were denied admission, maintain that it is actually a form of punishment for the first teenager.

In this context, yesterday the Minister of Education of Salta, Analía Berruezo, met with the parents of the five students. The Ministry reported that the Minister wanted to hear the parents' perspective and would act as a mediator in the situation. However, at this point, the majority of families and students have decided not to continue at this school. They are demanding sanctions against the educational institution. Lawyer Carlos Saravia informed Presentes that only his client is requesting the annulment of the resolution that applied the right of admission; the Ministry indicated that the school has 48 hours to respond.