Seth Stambaugh, the 23-year-old student teacher booted from an Oregon elementary school in October after answering a student’s question about whether he was married (and explaining that legally he couldn’t marry another man), and then reinstated after threats of a lawsuit, has settled with Sexton Mountain Elementary School’s school district for $75,000. Stambaugh, who will graduate from Lewis & Clark College in the summer, says he’ll donate at least $10k to two youth-oriented local non-profits. The school will also “provide leadership training concerning issues related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression,” according to the settlement details. Looks like Stambaugh’s “professional judgment” — originally described by Beaverton School District officials as questionable when they transferred him to another school — was just fine, after all. Well not for Aaron Krikava, the father who originally complained about Stambaugh’s in-classroom gayness; Krikava yanked his son out of Stambaugh’s class.
ftw
Seth Stambaugh Scores $75K After Losing Student Teaching Gig For Telling Kids He’s Gay
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David Ehrenstein
Here’s a real hero, people. He stood up, fought back, won big and gave back.
Shannon1981
I love this guy. He is showing people that no matter their homophobic opinions, if they want gayness away from their kids, they better enroll them in a private school, because their bigoted BS won’t fly in a public school. Thank you, Seth. I bet the next bigot will think twice before dismissing anyone for being who they are and admitting it.
Jeffree
I wish I would have had an out gay/ lesbian teacher when I was in school. Even if i never came out to him or her (which is probably how I would act then)I would have liked to know & meet a G/L adult along the way.
Ted B. (Charging Rhino)
We have a “queer” teacher where I went to high school, but I’d hardly portray him as a “role model”. More like a “cautionary tale” as he was a bit of a suspected perv’.
Rick Gold
Seth is intelligent, stylish, cute and now has a little $$.
DM me on Twitter and we’ll hook up.
I have some er…”investment advice” for you.
Yeah…
Investment advice…
Jaroslaw
I sincerely hope that he does not have trouble getting a job since potential employers might fear having to pay out. Then again he would want to work for such narrow minded folks which caused the lawsuit to begin with!
He didn’t have to give anything back to have my respect – being in the blinding glare of the public spotlight is worth a lot more than $75K but I’m still glad he did.
giveback
It costs way too much to go to court. Add up the legal fees and it is just not worth it. Hence the payout.
This was a frivolous lawsuit and his attorney should be ashamed of himself. (I really hope the father of the little boy report him to the bar for the harrassing phone calls.) Thank goodness he worked PRO BONO and will not see ONE PENNY of Mr. Stambaugh’s money! (If he asks Mr. Stambaugh, you should report him too!)
I think the district was correct in dismissing Mr. Stambaugh from the classroom for lack of professional judgement. However, they did go about it the wrong way.
Mr. Stambaugh’s saving grace in this situation was that there were no gay administrators. NO gay administrator I have talked to would have kept him in the classroom, they just would have gone about it the correct way. Also, Mr. Stambaugh could not have screamed “discrimination”.
Remember Mr. Stambaugh, a classroom is about the students and not about you. If you cannot look out for the best interest of the students, please find another profession immediately.
As far as the money you have received…
giveback
Also…. The students of Beaverton School District would like to thank you for taking ONE if not more teachers away from the classroom. When parents complain next year that there are too many kids in the class… I hope they thank you!