Headteacher turns down free Chick-fil-A to stand in solidarity with LGBT staff
Chick-fil-A has donated millions of dollars to anti-gay causes. (Getty)
A high school principal refused to serve a free meal from Chick-fil-A to teachers at his school in solidarity with his LGBT+ staff.
The American fast food chain, the largest in the US behind McDonald’s and Subway, is notorious for its funding of anti-LGBT+ organisations.
For years the Baptist-owned company has given millions of dollars to anti-LGBT+ organisations, leading to protests, boycotts, and several new US branches banned from being opened.
Lusher High School in New Orleans was offered a meal from Chick-fil-A by the College Football Foundation and A+ Lunch as part of “teacher appreciation day”.
But according to WWL-TV, principal Steven Corbett said in a statement: “Out of respect to our LGBTQ staff, we have chosen to not serve Chick-fil-A at an employee lunch.
“The number one rule at Lusher is to ‘Be Kind’ and we live this motto every day.
“Chick-fil-A has been politically outspoken about its views, and we feel it is not part of Lusher’s culture of kindness and community.”
Protesters outside a Chick-fil-A food truck in a demonstration organised by the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, 2012 (Robert MacPherson/AFP/Getty)
Corbett also told WDSU News: “We just thought it was important for us to be supporting our LGBTQ community and our staff.
“Recognising some of the efforts the organisation has made to create legislation that is anti-LGBTQ… We made a decision to decline the lunches.”
The College Football Foundation confirmed that it would bring teachers food from another restaurant to celebrate the day.
Chick-fil-A’s CEO, Dan Cathy, has openly confirmed that the company is against same-sex marriage. Two years later he said that he regrets voicing the comments but still stands by his statement.
Last week a “pilot” restaurant opened in the UK in Reading’s Oracle shopping centre.
Reading local Rebecca Stenlake wrote on Facebook: “You have literally got to be kidding me.
“You do know just how blatantly homophobic they are? I’m ashamed of all involved in allowing this to happen, honestly. Utterly unacceptable.”
