Jerry Buell, the Florida teacher who was suspended briefly for his comments on Facebook about same-sex marriage and gay people, decided to give an interview to the folks at TMZ, and refused to discuss his opinion on homosexuality, but did say, “I am opposed to same-sex marriage.” Buell claims “it doesn’t matter who you are,” he will respect his students, and they will never feel more safe or respected than in his classroom. Buell is also the faculty advisor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at his school.
“I have a deep moral objection to same-sex marriage,” Buell adds later in the interview.
READ:Â Anti-Gay Facebook Post Teacher: I Teach As If I’m Jesus Christ Himself
Buell’s Liberty Counsel lawyer insists the issue of homosexuality is unrelated to the issue of same-sex marriage.
It was discovered during his suspension that Buell had written on the school syllabus,”I am a man of God and I try to be like Jesus every day. I teach God’s truth, I make very few compromises. If you believe you may have a problem with that, get your schedule changed, ’cause I ain’t changing!”
Then there’s the post that started it all.
“I’m watching the news, eating dinner, when the story about New York okaying same sex unions came on and I almost threw up,†Buell had written on his Facebook wall last month. “If they want to call it a union, go ahead. But don’t insult a man and woman’s marriage by throwing it in the same cesspool as same-​sex whatever! God will not be mocked. When did this sin become acceptable???â€
Once someone says that on hearing the very news that same-sex marriage became legal they “almost threw up,” it is nearly impossible for an LGBTQ student to feel comfortable.
Interview starts 23 seconds in.