When Jerry Buell (pictured), a social studies teacher who won Teacher of the Year last year at Mount Dora High School, saw a televised news story on New York’s passage of marriage equality, he almost threw up. He then decided to share the vomitous occasion with everyone on Facebook, also calling same-sex marriages a “cesspool” and “a sin.” Well, guess who noticed his blowing of chunks? Everyone.
Even though he made the comments on his home computer, the Orange County School District has a policy stating that they don’t consider any internet use private and that “employees should remain professional in their communication at all times.” The district has given the teacher an administrative position while they conduct an investigation. Meanwhile the teacher, who also serves as the advisor to the school’s Fellowhip of Christian Athletes, says that he didn’t type his words out of hatred, but merely out of the way he interprets things. He also says that “I’ve had kids that I’ve known that have been homosexuals. They know that I don’t hate them. I love them.”
This of course raises the age-old question of whether people should be reprimanded at their jobs for their anti-gay views.
christopher di spirito
I heard about this cat. I think he was suspended. Shocking, considering the region of the country where he taught school.
ewe
Doesn’t this creton know that god is gay.
Dan Avery
While I think this guy is a total douche, I dont know that he should be suspended for something he wrote on his Facebook status page. Plenty of people I know vent their frustration at the right wing and fundamentalists on Facebook—should they be reprimanded by their employers as well? We can’t judge this case on Buell’s political leanings, but whether he has a right to express them privately. I think he does.
Tony Renna
this is what we have teaching our kids ????? scarry . and then he has the nerve to say he loves gay people in the same breath , like thats gonna save him now , lol . as a social studies teacher he need to be aware that the world is changing ,and a bigoted view point such as his is quickly becoming the minority……………….. how could he be so stupid and still be able to teach ??????
Jim Hlavac
So, he “loves” “cesspools” does he? Hmm. Weird obsession, I’d say.
But yes, there’s a “right” for these people to say this crud on their own time in their own space — but they also must recognize that there’s a Duty, spelled out carefully by the Man he says he follows — treat others as you wish to be treated — and not to say such things. I don’t question their rights, or their faith; I question their duty as fellow citizens towards me.
Ganondorf
@Dan Avery:
Are you saying that one’s freedom of speech/expression is never consistent with an employer’s disciplinary discretion? So an employer couldn’t terminate the employment of a vocal well known skinhead recruiter because s/he didn’t want its business to be associated with the neonazi/white supremacy-power movement? If not, what are the permissible exceptions to you (I couldn’t care less about the legal exceptions, keep in mind)? Sincerely held beliefs expressed outside of work eliminate an employer’s disciplinary discretion in this hypothetical.
Not only did he want people to know that he’s an antigay bigot, he wanted his coworkers and students to know that he’s an antigay bigot. The consequence is in keeping with the theme of christian martyrdom. Defending this person interferes with his religious observance.
Mav
“We can’t judge this case on Buell’s political leanings, but whether he has a right to express them privately. I think he does.”
People need to understand that *nothing* you do on the Internet is private.
Nothing.
If you put it out there, you’re gonna have to take responsibility for your words. If you can’t stand by your position (which this guy obviously can’t by his backpedaling, blustering, “But I LOVE my gay students!” rebuttal) then you need to keep your opinions to yourself.
Somebody has to have a pretty forked tongue to condemn the “cesspool” of same-sex attraction in one breath and to pretend love for one’s gay charges in the next. No wonder people think Christianity is one of the most hypocritical religions on the planet.
Mike
If people are (rightfully) going to shit all over Clint McCance for his anti-gay facebook postings, this guy should face the public scorn too. It’s absurd to have to decide which bigotry is okay and more acceptable than other bigotry when it impacts students.
Steveo
According to the article, the teacher is from Lake County, not Orange County.
FreddyMertz
Think about the children!…to melodramatic? lol I’m with Mav on this…there is nothing on the internet that will ever be private. Shouldn’t a “social studies” teacher know this?
Cam
“”This of course raises the age-old question of whether people should be reprimanded at their jobs for their anti-gay views.””
____________________________________________
Gee, I don’t know. Should somebody be reprimanded for putting anti-Black or Hispanic comments on their page? Should they be reprimanded for putting anti-woman comments on their page? Of Course. It’s a ridiculous question.
This man claims not to “Hate” gays, and yet a story about them on the TV made him feel like he had to vomit? These bigots can no longer be allowed to get away with these lies.
Kenny
According to one story, his Facebook page is private; however, he had over 700 friends, many of whom were current or former students. I simply don’t understand why teachers “friend” students on Facebook. It seems like a bad idea and can lead to a great deal of problems, as shown by this incident. What happens if a teacher sees that one of her friended students is intoxicated. Does she have an obligation to notify school officials or the child’s parents? What if she does nothing and the kid is later killed (or kills someone else) in a DUI accident. Facebook should be for communicating with your peers. Teachers and students aren’t peers.
Mav
I actually would have had more respect for Buell if he had responded to the media scrutiny: “Yeah, I said I think gays are disgusting, and that it’s against the Bible. What about it?”
But no, he avoided the accusation and made the *completely false claim* that he loves his GLBT students. That is impossible. He hates them in the most base of ways – out of complete ignorance. You cannot love someone and hate them for who they are at the same time.
Buell is a coward. And if he disagrees with gays and gay marriage because he’s a Christian, he did not stand for his Christian beliefs. He denied his faith.
Stay classy, Jerry.
TruTV Miami Fan
Not another black man spewing vile hatred towards gays. These black guys just never…oh wait, HE’S WHITE!
chrissie riot
Should he be reprimanded for being homophobic? No. Should he be reprimanded for voicing homophobic sentiment where his students could see them? Yes.
You can think what ever you want. You can even say what ever you want. But if you’re in a position of authority you are supposed to create a safe space for the children in your charge. Political, religious, personal ideology takes a back burner. He could be a neonazi skin head racist homophobe for all I care. But the minute that he expresses that opinion around a minor he’s creating a hostile environment and he’s in the wrong.
Pat Duffy
In most of the world, let alone the States, Non-Hets(esp. Gays) are the only OFFICIAL group allowed to be discriminated against. My Partner of 15 yrs was officially reprimanded and had papers filed in his file for responding “Back at you” to a co-worker who wished he would die and go to Hell. She was obvioously female and being married to a man…Het. Her comments were OK, his, Inappropriate and Unprofessional”.
Gotta love Florida and Publix….
Tackle
# TruTV Miami Fan:
I get you. And imagine if this were a Black man how these threads would have so much venom
directed at the so-called black community. I’m glad that black gay men do not do this towards whites.
Bick Biffster
Already wondering how much time this guy spends on Craigslist.
Jimmy Fury
If students can get in trouble for things they do off-campus, on facebook, or during summer break then I see no logical reason not to hold teachers to the same standards.
@Dan Avery: your comparison is inaccurate.
Your friends’ facebook pages probably won’t be viewed by clients or customers of their employer. Their venting is unlikely to impact the working relationships of the company. If it did and the employer found out, they would probably be reprimanded as well.
Buell’s views were expressed on a page where he friended current students.
His actions likely created an unwelcoming, if not actively hostile, classroom environment for any glbtq students in the school. So yes, he should be held accountable.
B.Rose
He’s right. 100%
transiteer
Then be sick somewhere else. You’re in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing. You can harm people with your ignorant views. Be somewhere else.