"Do you think (gays) have a purpose in life?":
"'No I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't. I don't understand it. A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God."
In response many people around the country became very upset at her words, and have sent numerous e-mails to her school and to members of the School Board demanding her removal from the classroom.
It appears those e-mails have had an effect.Though not one that I believe is worth celebrating.
Courtesy of WTHITV in Indiana:
Corporation officials say the teacher made a controversial comment.
Since then officials say the teacher and the corporation has received "aggressive e-mail".
Doctor Mark Baker, the schools' superintendent issued this statement.
“We have conveyed our disappointment and our disagreement with these statements and have emphasized her comments do not reflect our schools' views or opinions. ”
Based on the threat, state police and Sullivan County deputies have placed an officer at the school.
Below is the complete statement from Dr. Mark Baker, the school’s superintendent.
To Students, Parents, Faculty and our Community:
As many of you know and appreciate, our school corporation is continuing to manage as responsibly and respectfully as possible the fallout from comments made by an employee as she attended a meeting outside of school or a school activity.
We have conveyed our disappointment and our disagreement with these statements and have emphasized her comments do not reflect our schools' views or opinions.
The administration and one school employee in particular at North Central Jr/Sr High School have received aggressive email messages. We are turning over to law enforcement all such communications. Further, and as a precaution, the Indiana State Police and the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department have deemed it necessary to station an officer at our high school. Additionally, these law enforcement agencies, while they are here, are familiarizing themselves with our buildings, as is part of their regular training.
For that, we are grateful for their support of our school and our students. This matter has created some heartbreaking differences in opinion. Please know we are always going to put the safety of our students and faculty first and any disruption of our educational process will be managed quickly.
In response to our concerns for the safety and security of everyone in our buildings, we have placed the employee at the center of this concern on administrative leave.
Dr. Mark A. Baker- Superintendent NORTHEAST SCHOOL CORPORATION of Sullivan Corporation
I have to say that I am troubled by the fact that this teacher was removed for fear of harm coming her way. THAT should not be the case.
I feel that it is our right, even our responsibility, to express our opinions about injustice and cruelty. However we have NO right to make these people feel physically threatened in any way.
I would support the boycott of a business that was not fair to their employees, support letter writing or e-mails to officials who are wrong on policy decisions, and even back the shaming of the truly horrible people who emotionally, physically, or mentally abuse others.
But I would never, and I mean NEVER, be okay with making threats against a person, or institution, or support doing anything that makes them feel unsafe.
That is what the people we are fighting against do, not what we do!
So while I hope that this teacher comes to understand why people were so passionately upset with what she said, and perhaps even comes to view gay people differently, I also hope that she understands that the majority of us simply wanted to make sure that she was not inflicting her homophobic and insensitive attitudes on her students, and that we certainly meant her no harm.
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