Health Teacher Placed on Paid Leave for Educating Students About LGBT Issues (Video)

Distributed Materials Angered Some Parents

A high school health teacher in Cambridge, New York has been placed on paid leave following a presentation designed to educate students about LGBT terminology and issues.

The presentation in question was given by the Pride Center of the Capitol Region, which defines its mission as promoting “the well-being of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified people and those affected by discrimination based on gender identity and expression.”

The Albany-based group, founded in 1970, provided handouts to seventh graders and high school sophomores that “included more than 200 definitions of terms referencing the LGBTQ community,” the Post Star reported.

“The definition list included many standard words, such as transgender, stereotype, sex, gender, homosexual, homophobia, gay, bisexual lesbian and coming out,” the outlet continued. “It also included a large number of terms relating to gender surgery and hormones, some of them specific and scientific.”

The Star further reported that an investigation into the matter began “when students brought the packet home after a presentation” and parents complained. That investigation has now concluded, with Cambridge Central School Superintendent Vince Canini advising the outlet that “we have completed the investigation and are going to be consulting with our attorney,” further adding that he couldn’t reveal details of the case “because it is a personnel issue.” 

“I would like to again stress that the topic of gender identity was never of concern,” Canini told the Star. “The graphic ‘common terms and definitions’ were. The two are totally separate but have been blurred into one, which is not the case.”

Canini also posted a letter on the school’s website, addressed to middle school and high school parents:

On the morning of October, 31, 2017, it was brought to my attention that an informational packet was distributed by a guest speaker to students yesterday, October 30, 2017. The guest speaker was invited as a presenter in health class on October 30 and 31, 2017. After reviewing the contents of the packet that was distributed, the guest speaker was subsequently uninvited from presenting at Cambridge Central School District. In addition, the teacher who invited the guest speaker has been placed on paid administrative leave as is standard procedure while the situation is being reviewed.

The district and Board of Education will review policies and procedures surrounding the selection of guest speakers and the preview of all materials that will be covered or distributed by any third parties.

One parent publicly aired his grievances with the handouts via a Facebook Live video, seen below. “This is something that you should be teaching your own kid,” Sirell Fiel said. “I don’t believe in the school havin’ to teach our kids about this stuff.”

Watch:

On Fiel’s public Facebook page, he posted photos of the packet, which directed students to the Trans Student Education Resources website for more information and included the image below:

Martha Harvey, president and CEO of the Pride Center of the Capitol Region, told Logo’s NewNowNext that she was unaware of any previous parental complaints in the 12 years their presentations had been given in schools.

“Transgender kids are coming out younger and younger,” Harvey said. “Middle school is not too early to start. If you love your kids, you want them to have the most information possible.”

“If a parent has a problem with this presentation, that’s the parent’s problem,” the CEO concluded. “This program saves lives.”

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