Viki Knox, the New Jersey special education teacher who was caught in a Facebook conversation calling homosexuality a “sin†that “breeds like cancer,” apparently has a history of anti-gay behavior, and the school district that is filing court papers in order to fire her has the proof to back it up.
The Star-Ledger reports:
Facebook comments posted by Union Township English teacher Viki Knox were “hateful, bigoted and discriminatory,” the district school superintendent says in a court document that provides a detailed account of Knox’s alleged anti-gay conduct.
…
“Ms. Knox’s statements and actions not only constitute discrimination against GLBT students and staff in Union High School, but are completely incompatible with the aforementioned mission of the Union Township School District,” Superintendent Patrick Martin wrote in the filing.
According to the document, the district also found Knox:
• Denied services to a special-education student wearing a gay pride bracelet
• Accused her colleagues of indoctrinating students to live a gay lifestyle
• Likened homosexuality to a “sin” that “breeds like cancer,” during a class discussion of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi’s suicide
• Led prayers during a student club meeting, violating federal law and district policy.
Knox was not available for comment. Her lawyer, however, said her posts are protected expressions of speech and religion that took place “out of the school arena.” The lawyer, Sanford Oxfeld, also denies any wrongdoing by Knox, who had been teaching in Union for more than a decade. Oxfeld was retained for Knox by the New Jersey Education Association.
“Ms. Knox made no statements nor took any actions which involved students that can form the basis of any of the charges against her,” Oxfeld wrote in another court document filed with the Office of Administrative Law. “Nothing that she said can or will compromise her ability to be an extraordinary teacher.”
Really?
So, every LGBTQ student who is in a Viki Knox class –and let’s remember, she is a special ed teacher, so her students, presumably, have special needs to begin with — will feel safe? They will not feel judged?
As we’ve said previously in these cases where the right is supporting teachers who try to force their religion onto their students, like Jerry Buell, or like Knox, who just use their religion to justify their bigotry and anti-gay behaviors, enough!
It’s important to remember, teachers are in schools for the kids. Not the other way around. Something that the Right is constantly preaching when it comes to unions and money but not when it comes to gays and safety.
Also lost on the Right is that many employers fire people every day for behavior that affects their ability to do their job properly. You are responsible for your words and your actions. You may have a First Amendment right to say something, but you do not have the right to not have to pay for the consequences of your actions.
Regular tNCRM readers will remember the bulk of Viki Knox’s ugly diatribe. For those who wish to refresh their memories, here is the entire Facebook conversation, and background, captured before it was deleted.
HRC’s Backstory Blog adds:
HRC worked with Garden State Equality and called on the Union Township School Board to take immediate action following Knox’s rant. We delivered signatures from over 75,000 members and supporters to a school board meeting and successfully called on the Executive County Superintendent to open an investigation into the incident. Governor Chris Christie also condemned Knox’s remarks.