Teacher Slurs Gay Black Men

I agree that the comment made by Mr. Burk was incredibly insensitive when looked at as a stand alone comment, as the media is portraying it to be. I've been following this story as a former student at GCHS and having had Mr. Burk for consumer ed over 15 years ago. After reading articles from two other news sources, I found two very interesting reader comments that possibly shed more light on this situation. One reader (perhaps a current student?) commented that the media seems to have neglected that Mr. Burk's remark was preceeded by, "Some bigots might say..." Another reader mentioned that she was a parent of a current student of his and that he was in no way presenting his own personal views, but presenting an example of how prejudices affect tax spending decisions made by the goverment. Could he have found better way to get his point across? Yes, definitely. But, it seems this matter is more gray than the media outlets are making it.

FYI: When I was a student in the Chicago suburbs in the mid-70s, Consumer Education (or an equivalent Business or Economics class) was a state requirement for graduation from a public school. It was not a substitute for other more traditional academic courses, but one devised to make all students--whether they went on to college or not--smarter about how to manage their money and finances--not a bad idea in this day and age, it seems to me. And I speak from the vantage point of a college, so I do value the importance of all kinds of educations. This teacher should at least be suspended until the matter is resolved. If, indeed, he did say what he said, he should be fired and if tenured, his tenure should be revoked. This goes beyond freedom of speech--it moves into creating an overtly hateful environment. Elementary and high school students are particularly captive audiences and particularly at risk.

it is a word. people freak out too much about slurs and comments. I am not saying it is right for a teacher to say fag but it's a word get over it and move on with life.

Jay, a lot of high schools offer business classes for students, including "consumer economics" courses, which I suspect this might be. I'm specifically familiar with Geneva, but I know that area of the suburbs and it's pretty nice. I don't think the school's educational quality is even at issue. It's better not to even change the subject. The point is that this guy said something he was thinking in an inappropriate situation. I wish he didn't feel that way about black people, gay people, black gay people, the NEA, etc. But he does and that's fine. But as a teacher he is responsible for every utterance that escapes his lips. I just hope that, in this situation, he is punished properly. Teachers' unions make it very difficult for schools to act in situations like this. So before you all call that number at the school and complain, get the number of the local union and see what they have to say about protecting this guy from punitive action. That will be the real dirty party.

This teacher should have been FIRED on the spot. SHAME on Geneva High School for hiring someone who lives in a 10th. centrury. This teacher certificate should be taken away. Racist-Homophobic SON OF BITCH!He will burn in Hell!

The very fact that they have something called a "consumer education" class says something about this school. Can't be very serious academically, but that's no excuse for teaching homophobia. Kudos to the kid who complained. That took guts.

I want to highly recommend you call the school, specifically the administator responsible for his censor, and attend the school board meeting en masse tonite (Tuesday)if your location allows you to do so. The school phone number 630 463 3800, When asking to make a complaint, you will be essentially asking for the HR administrator, to file an official complaint. Jan, the administrative assistent of the administration of HR put me right through to his voice mail when I made my complaint, and confirmed tonite is the board meeting. I focused on the fact that I have family living in the area and with a black president in 2009, this racist homophobic comment is so over the top, I'm amazed that he wasnt immediately fired (on the spot), given the hatred in the comment, and that he is responsible for impressionable high school minds. THIS IS something we can do something about, at the local level, I'm just disapponted I live too far away to be at the board meeting personally.

My guess is that if he's been teaching there for a long while and/or administration likes him he'll get away with a formal apology.

Well I guess we should be glad that the idiot didn't say "ni@@er Fag"... Not much of a consolation though...