A Utah school says it was trying to prevent bullying, that's why it shared a gay student’s secret

LEHI , UT - A school in Utah says it was trying to prevent bullying, and that's why it told a student's parents that he's gay.

The 14-year-old turned in a writing assignment expressing his sexuality, and once it was posted in class his teacher feared for his safety. Despite the teen's protests the school told his family about the paper.

At least one fellow student says the school was wrong. A girl who goes by the name "Maddy" said, "It should be an individual's choice to come to their parents because a lot of times parents do not react the way kids want them to."

The school defended its actions saying if other students started bullying the teen and he was hurt on school property, his parents may have gone after the school for not disclosing his situation.

A representative from the Alpine School District said, "Whenever there's a safety issue involving a student at school, we need to involve the parents in that."