Florida teacher felt she had to quit amid 'Don't Say Gay' rhetoric

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

You're right.

If she'd stayed there ,there was a real risk her students would come to see gays and lesbians as normal, ordinary people.

OB

Quite possibly. Which is why it's odd that she left. Even if she can't explicitly teach her sexual morality to students, she, like all teachers can, use their presence as a soft influence on the minds of the young.

You don't really win by surrendering ground and influence, even if it's small.

 

[Occams Barber]

Quite possibly. Which is why it's odd that she left. Even if she can't explicitly teach her sexual morality to students, she, like all teachers can, use their presence as a soft influence on the minds of the young.

You don't really win by surrendering ground and influence, even if it's small.

I think you're projecting your own unfortunate ethical standards onto this young woman.

If you read the articles you'll see that her interest was not based on 'teaching her sexual morality'. In fact she went to some trouble to keep her personal circumstances out of the classroom.

OB

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

I think you're projecting your own unfortunate ethical standards onto this young woman.

If you read the articles you'll see that her interest was not based on 'teaching her sexual morality'. In fact she went to some trouble to keep her personal circumstances out of the classroom.

OB

There's nothing unfortunate or unethical in how my standards run. If this woman feels compelled to leave because of values she holds then can leave. The question is if that is an effective means of protest. I don't believe it is. Her position is going to be replaced by someone who will comply with the law in Florida.

Not that I think this is a bad thing.

 

[Occams Barber]

There's nothing unfortunate or unethical in how my standards run. If this woman feels compelled to leave because of values she holds then can leave. The question is if that is an effective means of protest. I don't believe it is. Her position is going to be replaced by someone who will comply with the law in Florida.

Not that I think this is a bad thing.

She left because the change in Florida's laws left her in a parlous position if her marriage became common knowledge in the school

She left because her students had discovered she was in a lesbian marriage and any attempt to explain potentially put her in breach of the law

She left because her fellow teachers were making it clear they disapproved of her relationship creating an intolerable workplace

At no stage was she interested in 'protesting'

OB

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

She left because the change in Florida's laws left her in a parlous position if her marriage became common knowledge in the school

She left because her students had discovered she was in a lesbian marriage and any attempt to explain potentially put her in breach of the law

She left because her fellow teachers were making it clear they disapproved of her relationship creating an intolerable workplace

At no stage was she interested in 'protesting'

OB

Hey man, I'm not opposed to her following her conscience. More teachers like her should also follow their consciences.

 

[Mayzoo]

It would have never occurred to me to ask my instructors anything about their personal lives, marital status or their sex lives. If they wore a ring, I presumed they were married, and I presumed it was neither my business nor relevant to my education to inquire further. I never even looked my teachers up in the phone book, and the internet was not a thing yet when I was in school.

Social media has changed the world. I guess parents no longer teach children to not invade others' privacy if kids are both searching for their teachers on social media and then asking them questions about the "personal" information they find.

Conversely, many people no longer have nor do they want private lives as they publish everything about themselves for all to see with no holds barred.

As a working adult, I do not inquire about my coworker's marital status or sexual leanings now. If they bring it up, fine, but I will not ask as it is simply none of my business. I also do not google or try to ferret out information about those I work with, but this place is the closest I get to social media, so I am archaic in that respect.

I really miss the world before social media, but onward we march. That genie is not going back in the bottle.

 

[FireDragon76]

Wow, and we are trying to Make America Great Again by bringing back the hate. I'd rather bring back manufacturing than homophobia and racism etc.

That's precisely the point- they have no realistic policies to address peoples actual material needs, just hate and fear to peddle in...

 

[Pommer]

Quite possibly. Which is why it's odd that she left. Even if she can't explicitly teach her sexual morality to students, she, like all teachers can, use their presence as a soft influence on the minds of the young.

You don't really win by surrendering ground and influence, even if it's small.

She’s teaching them cowardice in the face of bigotry!

 

[essentialsaltes]

On the other side of the coin...

Florida Student's Graduation Speech About Curly Hair

"I used to hate my curls. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them, trying desperately to straighten this part of who I am—but the daily damage of trying to fix myself became too much to endure."

"So, while having curly hair in Florida is difficult—due to the humidity—I decided to be proud of who I was and started coming to school as my authentic self," he continued, explaining that a teacher, Ms. Ballard, answered his questions "because I didn't have other curly-haired people to talk to," and that he found support from other students and adults.

"Now I'm happy… And that is what is at stake. There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View and they won't have one," warned the Harvard-bound student, urging those in the audience to use their power as voters.

 

[TLK Valentine]

She’s teaching them cowardice in the face of bigotry!

The Establishment would not have allowed her to be who she was in that environment. So she abandoned the Establishment rather than change herself to satisfy them.

Not exactly my definition of cowardice...

 

[Tinker Grey]

The Establishment would not have allowed her to be who she was in that environment. So she abandoned the Establishment rather than change herself to satisfy them.

Not exactly my definition of cowardice...

I suspect @Pommer was being facetious.

 

[rturner76]

I wonder if all of the fear of your children hearing the word gay is because of their own latent homosexual desires?

 

[rjs330]

This Florida teacher married a woman. Now she’s not a teacher anymore.
Nicolette Solomon felt her mother’s words come through the phone and settle, heavy, in her stomach.

It was January, and her mother was talking about a new bill, just proposed in the Florida legislature, that would severely limit how teachers could discuss gender identity and sexual orientation with their students.

She wondered: Could she be herself and stay a teacher in Florida?

--
Although Florida’s law does not take effect until July 1, LGBTQ teachers in Florida felt its impact immediately. In Orlando, a sixth-grade science teacher decided to resign this spring after parents wrote a letter complaining that he had acknowledged his same-sex marriage at school. In Cape Coral, a middle-school art teacher lost her job after admitting her own pansexuality to students.
--

Part of her reticence [about talking about her marriage at school with students] came from the lack of support — veering into open animosity — she had faced from some colleagues ever since her first week on the job. She had long ago learned to nod and smile, swallowing her feelings, when other teachers told Solomon that her marriage was a violation, that it broke God’s rules, that it went against their religion and the way they believed the world should be.

Still, some students figured it out: some by looking up her wedding video or her Instagram, which mentioned her wife, and some by catching sight of her phone background, a wedding picture. When students presented her with this proof, Solomon briefly confirmed the marriage, then moved the conversation to other topics.
--

On Feb. 2, Solomon handed in her letter of resignation, effective immediately.

The final straw was when her supervisor implied she would face consequences for taking a week’s leave so she could get fertility treatments; she and Hayley were trying to have a baby. But the bigger problem was it no longer felt possible to be lesbian and a teacher in Florida. The years of homophobic comments from her colleagues now seemed enshrined in state law, their message — “you don’t belong here” — triumphant and irresistible.

Feelings had nothing to do with the law. The law was explained many times. Teachers were not barred from mentioning the word gay nor were they barred from mentioning they went camping with their partner. These were all feelings they had. Parents could complain, but the law did not support the parents.

The teacher in Cape Coral was fired for not following the state curriculum and BEFORE the law was in effect.

The OP teacher was not fired or disciplined for being gay or mentioning she was gay. She could have stayed. And the state has laws against discrimination and workplace harassment. She could have stood her ground but elected not to. That's her choice.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Feelings had nothing to do with the law. The law was explained many times. Teachers were not barred from mentioning the word gay nor were they barred from mentioning they went camping with their partner. These were all feelings they had. Parents could complain, but the law did not support the parents.

We'll find out when the law takes effect. (Assuming it's not struck down or modified by the courts.)

 

[rjs330]

I wonder if all of the fear of your children hearing the word gay is because of their own latent homosexual desires?

Just more leftist rhetoric and lies since the word gay was never banned.

 

[rjs330]

That's precisely the point- they have no realistic policies to address peoples actual material needs, just hate and fear to peddle in...

As opposed to the left who wish to indoctrinate and groom the kids. The younger the better.

Leave the details of your personal lives out of the classroom. If the kids wish to discuss them with you tell them it's inappropriate.

Kid:. "is this you getting married to a woman?"
Female teacher: "yes it is. Let's turn to page 52 in you math book."
Kid: "what's it like being married to a woman"
Female teacher: "I'm afraid it's not appropriate to discuss my personal life in the classroom. Now turn to page 52."
Kid: "Are you gay?"
Teacher: "yes, now no more questions, turn to page 52"
Kid: "Are you a lesbian?"
Teacher: "I already told you no more questions and if you ask again you will have to stay after school or be sent to the principals office".

 

[rjs330]

This law doesn't take effect until July. Until then it's just more handwringing and screaming at the sky. Let's wait and see before we start clawing at the air and shouting the sky is falling.

 

[Pommer]

The OP teacher was not fired or disciplined for being gay or mentioning she was gay. She could have stayed. And the state has laws against discrimination and workplace harassment. She could have stood her ground but elected not to. That's her choice.

And Rosa Parks could’ve avoided her time in the barrel if she only only sat in her legally recognized seat.

 

[rjs330]

And Rosa Parks could’ve avoided her time in the barrel if she only only sat in her legally recognized seat.

But the teacher did nothing illegal. I don't understand the reference.

This teacher should not have been harassed at work. No one should have went up to her and called her names or say she is an abomination or any such thing. It's wrong to do so.

I quite frankly do not care if a gay person is a teacher. You can be a very good teacher and still be gay. You can teachath, English, science and history all while being gay. Ones sexual preference has nothing to do with ones skill. Heterosexuals are not better teachers just cause they are heterosexual.

What we don't want is gays removed as teachers. What we do want is for parents to be the ones to teach the sexual values and mores to our children and not the schools. I am sure that somewhere in all my schooling we had a gay teacher. But our education did not depend on the teachers sexual status. We learned all the necessary education without being concerned over our teachers sexual preferences.

So yes, in our secular education and jobs, leave the gays alone, let them work and teach and have a picture of their partner on their desk.

And in secular schools, leave the LGBTQ education or instruction out of it and leave it in the hands of parents where it belongs.

I think it's a reasonable compromise.

 

[Pommer]

But the teacher did nothing illegal. I don't understand the reference.

This teacher should not have been harassed at work. No one should have went up to her and called her names or say she is an abomination or any such thing. It's wrong to do so.

I quite frankly do not care if a gay person is a teacher. You can be a very good teacher and still be gay. You can teachath, English, science and history all while being gay. Ones sexual preference has nothing to do with ones skill. Heterosexuals are not better teachers just cause they are heterosexual.

What we don't want is gays removed as teachers. What we do want is for parents to be the ones to teach the sexual values and mores to our children and not the schools. I am sure that somewhere in all my schooling we had a gay teacher. But our education did not depend on the teachers sexual status. We learned all the necessary education without being concerned over our teachers sexual preferences.

So yes, in our secular education and jobs, leave the gays alone, let them work and teach and have a picture of their partner on their desk.

And in secular schools, leave the LGBTQ education or instruction out of it and leave it in the hands of parents where it belongs.

I think it's a reasonable compromise.

Everyone can fight unjust laws as they see fit.