Student Allegedly Hit at Entrance to Meeting : Inquiry: Youth says teacher struck him as he tried to join gathering of support group for gays. Instructor denies it.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — A 17-year-old student has alleged that a teacher assaulted him last week as he tried to attend a meeting of a support group for gay students at Fountain Valley High School, police said Wednesday.

The alleged confrontation happened Feb. 17 as the Student Alliance was about to begin a meeting after school, police Sgt. Dann Bean said.

“The group was meeting and apparently the student wanted to attend the meeting and there was some problem with letting him into the room,” Bean said. “The student is claiming that he was hit in the face with the teacher’s forearm.”

The student, whose name was not released, filed an assault-and-battery report with the Fountain Valley Police Department that evening. Bean said the teacher denied the charge to authorities.

Fountain Valley High School Principal Gary Ernst said Wednesday that the campus administration also received a complaint from the student and are investigating the allegation. He declined to comment further.

Bean said he has not yet interviewed the student but that he apparently is not a member of Student Alliance.

The group, which has gained formal status, sparked months of politically charged debate between supporters and those opposed to allowing it to meet on campus.

In January, the Huntington Beach Union High School District Board of Trustees voted to keep a district policy that allows student groups not related to the curriculum--such as the gay and lesbian alliance and Bible study groups--to hold meetings on campus.

Since then, a group of about 20 Huntington Beach High School teen-agers formed a support group for gay and lesbian students on the campus.