Teacher and vice principal quit over gay fairytale
Teacher Omar Currie has resigned after he read a story called “King and King” to his class.
The North Carolina English teacher read the fairytale to his third grade (age 8-9) class after a pupil called another “gay” and mocked him for “acting like a girl”.
King and King is a picture book that tells the story of a prince who is expected to marry a princess, but falls in love with another prince instead. The princes marry – and the book ends with a kiss.
Parents filed complaints against Mr Currie, who is gay. During a meeting at the school, according to WRAL, a parent he was “infiltrating young minds, indoctrinating children into a gay agenda and actively promoting homosexuality to steer our children in that direction.”
The school – and most parents – initially supported him, but said that in future, teachers would have to submit a list of books they read to parents for approval. Principal Kiley Brown also said parents should be allowed to remove their children from any lessons featuring books they disapproved of.
Mr Currie objected to this policy – and parents are still appealing the decision to allow the book to remain in classrooms. Another meeting is to be help this Thursday to address further complaints.
Vice principal Meg Goodhand, one of Mr Currie’s most prominent supporters, has also resigned.
Mr Currie said he was “disappointed” over the school’s lack of support, but intends to continue teaching and supporting his local community.
The book has been the subject of many controversies in school, with a parents’ group threatening to sue over its use in 2006.
