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Society
Student Daniel Glowacki Sues to Make Anti-Gay Comment
High school teen Daniel Glowacki has filed a federal lawsuit against Howell Public School District in Michigan and his teacher Johnson “Jay” McDowell over his right to speak out against people who are gay.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Daniel's mother, Sandra Glowacki, says McDowell kicked out Daniel Glowacki, 16, then a junior, from an economics class on Oct. 20, 2010, while the district was observing anti-bullying day and Spirit Day.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation encourages Americans to wear purple on Spirit Day to support LGBT youth who may feel harassed because of their sexual preference.
“I explained the difference between the flags, and he said, 'I don't accept gays,'” McDowell said.
McDowell told the student it was not appropriate to say such things in the classroom.
“And he said, 'Why? I don't accept gays. It's against my religion,'” McDowell said.
McDowell instructed Glowacki and another student to leave the classroom.
The lawsuit also accuses McDowell, who wore a shirt in support of Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University freshman who committed suicide over anti-gay bullying, of promoting homosexuality.
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Comments
You know, he has a right to
You know, he has a right to say that. I think it's stupid to not accept gay people (or whoever), but he has every right to express that he does not. As for the lawsuit against the teacher; teachers generally are expected to be neutral with this sort of thing. It would be different if it were a college professor, but eh. Personally I don't have a problem with that. The idea of 'promoting sexuality' is inherently stupid, though. While it is possible to encourage someone to be gay, it's not going to do anything. One does not choose to be gay. I believe the teacher was encouraging support for homosexuality, ie a broader acceptance. Again, personally I have no problem with that, but I'm open to the argument that teachers shouldn't be vocal either way. I don't like the way that allegation is phrased however: 'promoting homosexuality'.