(Image via Wikipedia)
Jerry Buell,who teaches social studies at Mount Dora High School, received a ‘Teacher of the Year’ award in 2010. But this year he was suspended by his district for making anti-gay marriage comments on his personal Facebook page.
In response to the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, Jerry wrote that he “almost threw up” over the news and that he considered same-sex unions to be a sin and part of a growing “cesspool”.
His comments were brought to the attention Lake County School District officials and the district responded by initiating an investigation and suspending Buell from teaching in the classroom. Meanwhile he has been reassigned to a clerical position at the district’s office.
Over the past year, district officials had warned teachers that the use of social networking sites or blogs:
"creates the risk of affecting your professional career."
"It is vital that you conduct yourself in such a way that it does not adversely affect your employment and/or the District."
Meanwhile, a new Facebook page has been created called:
"Support Jerry Buell; Mount Dora High School Teacher of the Year suspended"
The page urges supporters to contact the school to help Buell get his job back.
Response: Jerry Buell is a Christian who merely stated what millions of fellow Christians around the country also believe. Has it really come to this in the USA that one is no longer free to express one’s religious convictions on a personal website without suffering some penalty from a government agency- in this case a public school district?
This is actually an example of harassment and persecution right here in America. There are no complaints against Jerry Buell when it comes to his teaching or his treatment of students. This is an example of liberal PC thought police in action. In this case coming from administrators of a school district who may have different opinions than Jerry when it comes to same-sex marriage.
This case is really scary and should not be allowed to stand. The reaction should be swift and decisive against the district administrators otherwise we have entered a new era where Christian beliefs and morality are no longer publically acceptable. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech for those working in public positions is now null and void and the first amendment no longer means a thing? I guess so if you work for a school district with a bunch of egg-head liberals in charge –shades of Nazi Germany in the name political correctness! *Top