Florida teacher suspended for Facebook anti-gay remarks
A Florida teacher who wrote on Facebook that he “almost threw up” when New York legalised gay marriage has been suspended.
Jerry Buell, a social studies teacher at Mount Dora High School, also wrote that gay marriages were a “cesspool” and a “sin”.
He was suspended by Lake County school district officials under a new social media policy for teaching staff.
Mr Buell made the comments on July 25th on his home computer. The school district says he will be given an administrative position while an investigation is carried out.
Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel, he said: “It wasn’t out of hatred. It was about the way I interpret things.”
He added: “I’ve had kids that I’ve known that have been homosexuals.They know that I don’t hate them. I love them.”
Former pupil Brett Winters, 27, said the teacher’s remarks were hateful and dangerous to gay students.
The issue of homophobia in US schools has rarely left the headlines in the last year, after a number of high-profile teen LGBT suicides.
