|| News ||
Page 1 of 1

After Firing, Gay Teacher Reinstated


ClassenX390.jpg

An Oklahoma City teacher allegedly fired for encouraging support for LGBT students will be reinstated in the classroom, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

Joe Quigley was fired in May by the Oklahoma City school board on grounds that he neglected his duties and didn't follow school policies. But the gay teacher said that was not the case, and that he was targeted for firing because he spoke out against antigay bigotry.

"His outspokenness made him a very visible teacher in that district," Timothy Melton, Quigley's attorney, told NewsOK.com. "The administration at Northwest Classen High School has, for the last two years, done its best to set Mr. Quigley up to fail. Fortunately, he is too good a teacher and too strong a personality to be defeated by petty, nonteaching bureaucrats who put rules ahead of the children."

Kathleen Kennedy, a spokeswoman from the Oklahoma City School District, confirmed Quigley would be reinstated, though she's not yet sure at what school he will return. No one from the district has ever responded to Quigley's claims that he was targeted because of his pro-gay stances.

Quigley told NewsOK in an e-mail that he is looking forward to returning to work and is hopeful the district will add sexual orientation and gender identity to the sections in the student-parent handbook that cover harassment.

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook. Page 1 of 1
Reader Comments
  • Name: HJP
    Date posted: 9/8/2009 11:28:24 PM
    Hometown: OKC

    Comment:

    Joe is a wonderful teacher and a person of honest living. He stands for what he believes in, and has fought harder than quite a few of us to get where he is now. That's not to say he hasn't has to watch his back, and keep records of every detail to support himself during this time - where most could get by with their words he has had to prove it ten times over. Things are not equal but he has forced fairness where he can.



Don't Miss
  • Best of Broadway Smash: Why You Will Love It

    Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, two of the producers of NBC’s new critically acclaimed musical series, explain why the backstage drama of creating a musical about Marilyn Monroe has mass appeal and why big stars like Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Nick Jonas were eager to appear in it.

  • Best of Broadway How Broadway Does a Flea Market

    Find out why actress Kathleen Chalfant calls the annual Flea Market and Grand Auction in Times Square "the most glamorous flea market you've ever seen." It raised half a million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS.

  • Travel Slideshow Flag Gayest Cities in America, 2012

    It's no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we've even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn't that list.

 
 
Advocate Subscribe Promo Banner 300x50
 
Follow Us Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterSubscribe to our RSS feedsDownload our app
Facebook Activity
 
1056 COVER X135 | ADVOCATE.COM
Today's Headlines