Teacher Suspended for Anti-Gay Facebook Comments to Return to Classroom, Will Speak at Christian Rally
Jerry Buell, a Florida teacher suspended for making anti-gay Facebook comments about same-sex marriage, will return to the classroom after his suspension was lifted, following a week of publicity in which he was backed by anti-gay legal group Liberty Counsel, as well as the ACLU.
Superintendent Susan Moxley decided that Jerry Buell did not violate the board's code of conduct. He will return to the classroom on Thursday...Moxley said she has issued Buell a list of directives, which will become public record in 10 days, to follow.
Buell said the decision is a victory for First Amendment rights, but the school district still maintains there are limits on what a teacher can say in their private lives if it impacts the classroom. Buell said he has no regrets about what happened. He said he always cautions students about what they post on social media sites, but he also encourages people to speak their opinions strongly without fear of repercussions. He plans to use his experience as a teaching tool.
On Facebook, Buell had written that he "almost threw up" in response to a news story about same-sex marriage in New York. Buell also called the marriages part of a "cesspool" and said they were a sin.
Given his comments, Buell has become something of a hero to the Christian right. He's set to appear at a rally tonight sponsored by the Liberty Counsel, at First Baptist Church of Leesburg.
"I don't want somebody to come in and put duct tape on the mouth of a Christian man or woman or student just because they believe in the Bible," Brooks Braswell, pastor of First Baptist Church of Umatilla, told board members.
At tonight's event, Buell probably will speak in general about the Facebook issue for about three minutes, Mihet said. The rally, scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m., also will include an appearance by U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden.
Disgusting. I don't think he should have been fired, but now he's turning into some kind of hero. I guess being a christian means you can and should be praised for saying hateful things.
Posted by: Sarina | Aug 25, 2011 7:59:19 AM
I feel awful for any gay or ally students who have to remain in his class.
Posted by: Philip Smith | Aug 25, 2011 8:04:21 AM
Only a matter of time till he tells a student that he or she is going to Hell in the classroom. Then he will have violated the Code of Conduct. Give it time. Bigots always show their true, "Christian love" soon enough.
Posted by: Paul | Aug 25, 2011 8:16:33 AM
And in other news, a teacher in Florida has been fired for acting in gay porn. Strangely, my reservations about having my child taught by the porn actor are not nearly as large as they would be if he she was taught by this bigot. Mr. Buell would not remain as my child's teacher. Florida obviously needs to look more closely at the morality clause in it's teachers' contracts, and the ACLU should as vehemently address the firing of the porn actor as it did the bigot.
Posted by: Soapy | Aug 25, 2011 8:39:59 AM
Yet, if a person was to use the same language toward Christians they'd have an anti-defamation lawyer on FOX news saying the sentiments expressed were anti-Christian and that a lawsuit is in the works.
Posted by: JerzeeMike | Aug 25, 2011 8:41:04 AM
The fact that this guy has no remorse at all, but in fact is very proud of what he did makes ME want to puke. I certainly hope any LGBT persons in his class will have the courage to take action to change classes so as not to be subjected to this bigot. Parents and students in this school should strongly protest his returning to class. He has NO business working with kids.
Posted by: Brent | Aug 25, 2011 9:01:02 AM
Of course, just what his students need, a "Christianist martyr" preparing them for a life free of homosexual depravity and sin. I do defend his right to his personal homophobic thoughts and beliefs BUT not when it comes to influencing the impressionable pupils in his care.
Posted by: HadenoughBS | Aug 25, 2011 9:06:40 AM
This is great news for the Ku Klux Klan. I'm sure the Liberty Council will be only too happy to support their next lynching.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Aug 25, 2011 9:15:50 AM
How long before Jerry Buell is caught toe-tapping or Craig's Listing?
Any bets?
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Aug 25, 2011 9:17:36 AM
I too don't believe he should have been fired, but the fact he's using this attention for notoriety and promotion of an anti-gay agenda is disgusting. But people like him feel totally justified saying whatever they want, however they want it, of the LGBT community. If I had a gay son/daughter, I'd pull them out of his classes. What's important is he WAS suspended and got in trouble, and hopefully that message was sent to the children that his homophobia is wrong.
Posted by: Francis | Aug 25, 2011 9:40:10 AM
Freedom of speech means the freedom to express opinions other people find repugnant - that's what it's for, because popular opinions don't need protection. After all, we would not want to see teachers in conservative communities suspended or fired for supporting marriage equality on their Facebook pages, no matter how offended and infuriated local parents and administrators might be.
No one has alleged so far that this man brings his political opinions into the classroom or that he discriminates against LGBT students or the children of LGBT parents. The moment he does that, he crosses the line. But teachers need to be allowed to engage in political speech - and marriage equality is a political question - outside the classroom; becoming a teacher does not reduce a person's rights as a US citizen.
Posted by: Sancho | Aug 25, 2011 10:09:52 AM
This news from that cesspool of Florida made me almost throw up.
Oh, and duct tape on the mouth of Christians? Thanks for the tip!
Posted by: KevinVT | Aug 25, 2011 10:14:55 AM
No, freedom of speech only means that the government can't prosecute or put him in jail for what he says. He still has to deal with the consequences.
He already crossed the line. He is friends with students on Facebook. They see what he posts. And he sees himself as a Christian soldier first and a teacher second. It said so in his official school biography for a long time. He is really unfit to be a teacher
Posted by: Steve | Aug 25, 2011 10:19:57 AM
Geez - can't even begin to describe how sorry I am for the poor kids that have to be taught by him. They better have a policy in place for out kids to be able to opt out of his class. You can't expect them not to feel...hmm i don't know...distraught or distracted that they're in this environment. Free speech, free speech, yes yes yes, but this is the price paid.
Posted by: Leo | Aug 25, 2011 10:46:51 AM
Just a matter of time before he finally comes out of his miserable closet. Expressing that much hatred towards anything means he's a serious danger to children. Parents beware.
Posted by: SFshawn | Aug 25, 2011 10:53:54 AM
@Sanchio Not that I normally give credence to Queerty but they did post a story about a student who did have issues in his classroom.
http://www.queerty.com/the-only-story-about-mr-buells-anti-gay-teachings-just-disappeared-from-the-web-20110824/
Posted by: Raven | Aug 25, 2011 11:01:03 AM
The bottom line really is, if he continues his Christian warrior crusade, he'll be fired. There are clear guidelines he has to follow and he's on notice. I give it MAYBE 2 weeks before he starts up talking about Jesus this and God that in the classroom and on his facebook, and he'll likely be given the axe, if not forced out, unless the school board gets scared from a potential lawsuit.
Posted by: Francis | Aug 25, 2011 11:04:38 AM
""Buell said he has no regrets about what happened. He said he always cautions students about what they post on social media sites, but he also encourages people to speak their opinions strongly without fear of repercussions. He plans to use his experience as a teaching tool.""
--No regrets about public hate speech towards gay equality and creating a hostile environment in this classroom for gay students or students with gay parents.
--He cautions students about what they post on social media, while using social media to make irrational, inflammatory, juvenile, and uncivil statements himself.
--He plans to use this as a teaching tool. How? It should be to show students what not to do when you're supposed to be a role model, a teacher, and a decent adult, but I suspect he'll use it to glorify himself.
The only thing he seems to have gained from this experience is the affection of the anti-gay zealots, including his lawyers at Liberty Counsel. I hope the school, who were right to investigate this, will keep a close eye on Mr. Buell.
Posted by: Ernie | Aug 25, 2011 11:19:03 AM
I hope he tells us very clearly all those God commands us to hate. Very helpful sir.
Posted by: Charley | Aug 25, 2011 11:31:01 AM
This has nothing to do with "the courage to speak your mind" nor "having opinions" but rather the specificity that this man's specific chosen opinions are detrimental to the wellbeing of LGBT students and indeed contribute to the culture of anti-gay bigotry that drives so many young LGBT people to suicide.
I thank GOD that I'm a Canadian where our government and population is able to intelligently discern between free speech and hate speech.
Catch Up, America. You're decades behind us. Stop being so proud of it.
Posted by: Little Kiwi | Aug 25, 2011 11:48:23 AM
the ironic thing is that parents of ally children will pull them from his class and he will be left with the offspring of a bunch of nazis to preach to.hopefully he is monitored closely.
Posted by: brian a. current | Aug 25, 2011 12:22:10 PM
Remember way back when, when christian religions were heavy into prayer meetings and tent revivals.... now it's hate rallys.
"I like the christian faith, but the followers of Christ not so much."
Posted by: Dale | Aug 25, 2011 12:37:40 PM
Heh, and you guys were all frothing over the mouth to stick up for him and he shoved it back up your ass.
The world turns and once again American gays are spineless.
Posted by: Rowan | Aug 25, 2011 12:48:52 PM
Yep he's gonna come back into the classroom all pissed and Anti Gay.
Posted by: Mike | Aug 25, 2011 3:09:30 PM
Good.
I hope Francis is right and he does something really stupid like start talking about jesus in class next week and gets fired on the spot.
But for him to be fired for the comments he posted would be as fascist as a teacher being fired for being gay.
If we want to win (which we already are and will) we have to play by the rules. Firing someone for their mild, nonviolent, common thoughts on legislation in a different state would be stupid and counterproductive.
All that said, he can rot in hell.
Posted by: JeffRob | Aug 25, 2011 3:25:49 PM