For my final article, after discussing how many facets of
social justice directly apply to the lives of students, I would like to switch
my focus how social prejudices and discrimination negatively impacts the lives
of teachers; as evidenced by this article that describes the prejudicial firing of teachers within Catholic schools due to their sexual orientation. In this
post I shall first attempt to describe what discriminatory behaviour is occurring
within these schools, and then I shall reflect on some ideas which may help to
combat this prejudice.
This article discusses the firing of three well established,
“veteran”[1],
teachers within eight months by their respective Catholic schools due to their sexual
orientation. Now I know what many of you may be thinking after hearing this, “Surely
their sexuality cannot be the only reason they were fired? Maybe they were just
not good teachers”, however not only does the article go into discuss the good scholastic
reputation of all three victims but it also is able to directly link the firing
of Tippi McCullough with her same sex marriage; stating that, “Forty minutes after
Tippi McCullough wed her partner… she received a phone call…informing her of
her breach of contract by violating the "morality clause". McCullough was then presented with two options:
resign and receive a "glowing recommendation" or be fired.”[2].
This blatant discrimination, enacted under the guise of “freedom of religion”[3],
is far more common than we might assume, with Blackburn and Donelson suggesting
that the educational system in itself serves to propagate such acts. They state
that “While the presence of openly LGBT teachers and school
administrators could serve as positive role models for children and adolescents,
the fact is that the culture operating within schools works very efficiently to
keep most such teachers in the closet”[4],
and through such clear examples as this article we can perceive how this
statement is relevant to contemporary schools. And it is further evident that
some action must be taken to prevent this discriminatory system.
Fortunately, both teachers and the wider community have the
potential to effect this issue, as
suggested in the article itself that
“Petitions…seeking the reinstatements of Hale and
Bencomo received over 130,000 and 92,000 signatures,
respectively”[5]
and that “Their cases gained national and international attention”[6].
Through this we can perceive how the wider community can rally in order to ease
the effects of LBGTQIA discrimination, even attempting to prevent such acts
from occurring in the first place, and it is incredible important that we, as
both teachers and members of this wider community, attempt to raise awareness
about these issues to initiate such responses. Teachers can also assist in the
development of anti-discriminatory policies, both within and without schools,
through their involvement with the educational community and the multitude of
resources available to it. Blackburn and Donelson also suggest that the
enactment of such strategies would have a positive effect on both teachers and
students, stating that the “… encouragement of openly gay teachers,
particularly in the primary grades, could foster an environment in which those
teachers can better care for the children in their classrooms”[7]
It is thus evident how sexuality based discrimination not
only exists within the educational system in regard to teachers, but that it
must be stopped. Thankfully there are many initiatives both teachers and the
educational community can take, and I dearly hope that such acts of prejudice
will not go unnoticed or unpunished.
[1] “Catholic
schools ‘morality clause’ is no excuse for firing LGBT teachers”, The Guardian, October 25, 2013, accessed
October 27, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/25/catholic-schools-fires-gay-teachers
[2] “Catholic
schools ‘morality clause’ is no excuse for firing LGBT teachers”, The Guardian, October 25, 2013, accessed
October 27, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/25/catholic-schools-fires-gay-teachers
[3] “Catholic
schools ‘morality clause’ is no excuse for firing LGBT teachers”, The Guardian, October 25, 2013, accessed
October 27, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/25/catholic-schools-fires-gay-teachers
[4]
Blackburn, M, Donelson, R. “Theory Into
Practice”, pg. 100
[5] “Catholic
schools ‘morality clause’ is no excuse for firing LGBT teachers”, The Guardian, October 25, 2013, accessed
October 27, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/25/catholic-schools-fires-gay-teachers
[6] “Catholic
schools ‘morality clause’ is no excuse for firing LGBT teachers”, The Guardian, October 25, 2013, accessed
October 27, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/25/catholic-schools-fires-gay-teachers
[7] Blackburn,
M, Donelson, R. “Theory Into Practice”,
pg. 101
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