But there it is, HB236. We've read it and we're still not sure we believe it.

What we do believe, and hope, is that when Gov. Jon Huntsman reads it, he will have the good sense, the compassion and, yes, the common decency to veto it.

The gay kids and their straight friends who join together in a school club to reassure each other that they aren't the devil incarnate, and to work for schoolwide tolerance and understanding, certainly don't deserve this bill. Neither do their parents and families.

Nor do the public school administrators who would have to wade through its tortured language in an attempt to obey it.

The schools already have club rules that comply with court rulings. This proposed law, by contrast, is an invitation to unnecessary lawsuits. Besides, there's no widespread demand from parents for new legislation.

The bill attempts to define and outlaw bigotry in school clubs, which would be great if the law itself were not motivated by bigotry against homosexuals.

Among its strange provisions, it would "deny authorization or school building use" to a club whose proposed activities would "involve any effort to engage in or conduct mental health therapy, counseling, or psychological services for which a license would be required under state law."

Do lawmakers really believe that these clubs are going to conduct group psychotherapy of a clinical nature? Their intent must be to scare kids and school advisers away from giving emotional support.

Clubs' activities also could not "involve human sexuality," which is defined as presenting information that violates laws governing sex education, advocates sexual activity "outside of legally recognized marriage or forbidden by state law," or presents information about contraception.

That provision would outlaw every football team in the state.

But more to the point, the gay-straight alliances in local schools are about tolerance, not sex. That's why this bill is misdirected, unnecessary and mean-spirited, and why Gov. Huntsman should veto it.