A headteacher has been accused of "outing" two gay students after she asked staff to compile a list of pupils who were dating one another.

Daphne Beasley, who was trying to limit public displays of affection on her campus, pinned up the list in her office at a high school in Memphis, Tennessee, say civil liberties campaigners.

The American Civil Liberties Union is threatening legal action unless Miss Beasley is reprimanded.

The ACLU said the list was in plain view of teachers and students at Hollis F Price Middle College High School and resulted in the two gay pupils being victimised.

One of the pair, identified as Nicholas, said Miss Beasley rang his mother, who didn't know about his sexuality. He also said he was not allowed to go on a trip to New Orleans because, a teacher explained, he would "embarrass" the school by engaging in homosexual affection.

The Memphis City Schools Board of Education yesterday supported the headteacher. The board said it had received numerous complaints from staff that some students were involved in "explicit sexual behaviour in public view".

It said the headteacher had rung parents to reinforce the message but had never mentioned the sexual orientation of the students on the list she kept in her office.