Photos With Bruno Put School On Defensive

The rise of club music, the fall of apartheid, Bruno looking all fabulous with some high school football players very powerful in their physique and the head of L.A. schools disciplining a principal and athletic director — coincidence or not?

For some reason, the school district is nish-nish about Birmingham High School’s decision to let the standard-bearer of Austria’s gay community pose with its football squad for a GQ spread. Ramon C. Cortines, the chief of the school district, threatened to take “appropriate personnel action” on the Birmingham brass for allowing Bruno, clad in Nike cleats and American Apparel socks, to sully the reputation of the fully-dressed players.

“I don’t believe that there is a place on any high school in America, including Los Angeles, for photos such as these,” Cortines said in a news release issued by his office.

The joke may be on Cortines, though, because tomorrow, Birmingham is up to become an independent charter school, outside the jurisdiction of the school district. If the move doesn’t pass, the district’s plan of action is to “speak to students who return to campus in the fall,” forcing all the players to mix in legal briefs with playbooks on their summer reading lists.

For the record, Cortines said his shock has nothing to do with the fact that Bruno likes to prance the streets of Austria holding hands with his boyfriend, Diesel. It’s just completely inappropriate for a high school campus, even in Los Angeles, which is part of America, if you forgot. In Bruno’s defense, if asking sexually suggestive questions — “Are you allowed to date other members of the team or do you have to wait until the season is over?” — is socially unacceptable, then maybe it’s time for being gay to come back into season.

Coach, principal being disciplined over Bruno photos [L.A. Times] LAUSD to discipline admins over Bruno shoot [L.A. Daily News] Principal, coach disciplined over Bruno [L.A. Observed]