US: Public school district cut ties with Gordon College over anti-gay stance
A Massachusetts public school district has cut ties with Gordon College after the college demanded an exemption from LGBT anti-discrimination laws.
Gordon President D. Michael Lindsay signed on to an anti-gay letter on behalf of the private Catholic college in July.
The letter asked the Obama administration to include a religious exemption in an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees.
Lynn Public School District announced that it will end an 11-year partnership with Gordon that previously allowed the college’s students to volunteer at area public schools as mentors and tutors.
According to the Boston Globe, committee member Charlie N. Gallo said that the school needs to apologise for the letter before the district will consider reinstating the partnership
Val Buchanan, service programs coordinator at Gordon, told the Globe that the college acknowledges the “hurt and anger caused by our president’s letter.”
She said the college offered to have students sign non-discrimination statements before working in classrooms as an alternative to terminating the partnership completely.
That option was denied by the school committee.
