Openly Gay Illinois Senate Candidate Jim Madigan Broadcasts His Life from the Campaign Trail

Jim Madigan, a candidate for the Illinois State Senate from the 7th district in Chicago and the first openly gay candidate to run for the state senate in Illinois, is making a series of short documentaries showing what it takes to organize and run as a grassroots candidate in the political machine that is Chicago. Madigan has also served as Interim Executive Director of Equality Illinois and helped draft Illinois' civil unions bill.

He's going to be posting his documentaries once a week until the primary in February. The first two show how Madigan and his team collected the 1,000 signatures necessary to become a candidate, and their delivery to the election office in Springfield.

Watch the first two, AFTER THE JUMP...

Illinois Teacher Suspended for Assigning Classes Article About Homosexuality in the Animal Kingdom Returns to Class

UPDATED

After a school board meeting that went late into the night, members decided to give teacher Dan Delong a warning and allow him to return to class:

"Last night, a crowd of students showed up at DeLong's disciplinary hearing to show their support for the teacher. Following the meeting, Delong issued a joint statement with the Board of Education of Southwestern CUSD 9. 'I agree with the Board that the material in my class was not age appropriate for my sophomores and for that, I apologize. I understand the Board has decided that I shall receive a Notice of Remedial Warning,' he said in the statement. DeLong also said that the administration's concerns centered not on 'sexual preference or homophobic condemnation,' but rather 'the age appropriateness of the material.' DeLong's students say the reading material was optional. His supporters, which included former and current students, call DeLong and inspiration.' He gave you controversial issues and you got to choose your opinions on them were,' Katie Trombetta, a former student, said. 'He didn't put his beliefs on you. You got to figure out your own beliefs.'"

Watch a news report, AFTER THE JUMP...

Yesterday:

Dan Delong (pictured below, with one of his students), a teacher at Southwestern High School in Piasa, Illinois, has been suspended for assigning his classes an article that appeared in Seed magazine (you can read it here) about homosexuality in the animal kingdom.

The Telegraph reports: "Southwestern School District Superintendent Larry Elsea was not available for comment Wednesday or Thursday, nor was Marcus Albrecht, the union representative for the Illinois Education Association that represents the district's Southwestern Education Association members. According to an e-mail sent to The Telegraph from a former student, Delong has the support of more than 400 parents, students and friends, seeking to have him reinstated. The article that Delong had his students read was written by Jonah Lehrer and quotes Joan Roughgarden, a biology professor at Stanford University who challenges Darwinian sexual selection by documenting more than 450 animal species that engage in homosexual behaviors."

Said Delong: "I have been suspended, but not without pay. But I would rather not comment further until I speak with my union representative."

A special meeting of the school board is taking place tonight to discuss Piasa's fate.

Via Wicked Gay Blog, which reports: "My source tells me that DeLong is a straight married man with two kids who is an ally of the GLBT community and was simply trying to educate through this assignment."

There has been a Facebook page set up in support of Delong.

Watch a news report from local station KTVI, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Texas, Lance Bass, New Brunswick, Scholastic, Curry

GLAAD announces inaugural GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising. Top TV winner was Orbitz commercial featuring Human Rights Campaign logo.

Lance Bass and his latest guy.

Scholastic backtracks on gay-themed book Luv Ya Bunches, says it will carry the book in its book fairs.

Two gay candidates vie for spot in Illinois General Assembly, and nobody's talking about their sexuality.

Adam Lambert and Katy Perry go on a Michael Jackson date.

Scientology spokesperson Tommy Davis speaks out about Paul Haggis defection: "In his first extensive interview since the resignation, Davis says Haggis’ letter is based on a series of misunderstandings. The church’s San Diego branch was erroneously named as backing Prop 8, he says. And he argues that his comments on CNN about disconnection have been mischaracterized. He declines to say whether, in light of his explanations, he believes Haggis might become reconciled to the church."

Morrissey returns to the stage.

Crowd of more than 1,000 turns out in New Brunswick, New Jersey to counter-protest six members of the Westboro Baptist Church

Jonathan Capehart: Harry Reid "crazy like a fox" with Hate Crimes bill.

CHART: Does policy trail public opinion on gay rights?

Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival winners announced: "The Man Who Loved Yngve," directed by Stian Kristiansen, wins Best Feature Film.

Curry spice found to kill cancer cells.

Someone poured scalding water into Channing Tatum's wetsuit on the set of his latest film, but he's ok.

Fort Worth police appoint LGBT liaison: "[Sarah] Straten, who serves as the liaison in addition to her full-time job as a neighborhood police officer in the far north part of town, hopes the position will become an official, full-time one. She’s made it clear that she wants the job."

Alan Ball offers some spoilers for the upcoming season of True Blood.

Judge Tena Callahan talks about the courage she needed to summon in order to declare Texas' ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional and proceed with a gay divorce case: “I was sitting at my dining room table and I was thinking, I’ve got to make this decision, I’ve got to rip this Band-Aid off and I’ve got to make this decision. My dad always used to tell me that a billion people can believe in a bad idea, and it’s still a bad idea. And that man taught me to have the courage of my convictions and to do what’s right — it’s always the right time to do the right thing. And as I’m sitting there and all this is going through my head, I’m looking at the back of this bag, and I went, ‘Oh my God, I just got my answer.’"

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #554

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE: The anti-gay group wants new "ambassadors" to fight homosexuals, sex predators, gamblers, and abortionists.

CORY MONTEITH: The Glee star on Chelsea Lately.

INSURRECTA NEX: Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry takes his harassment to the National Equality March.

NEED AN ASSHAT?: There's a GOP Rep for that.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Illinois Teacher Receives Warning for 'Black Fag' Comment

Yesterday I posted about David Burk, a Geneva High School teacher who was the subject of a complaint from a student regarding a remark he made to his classes.

The remark, made during a discussion of the National Endowment for the Arts, was: "How would you feel about your tax dollars going to pay some black fag in New York to take pictures of other black fags?"

The Geneva School Board discussed the matter last night and voted on a resolution: "Geneva School Board members voted Tuesday night to issue a warning against a Geneva High School teacher, who a student claimed made a homosexual slur in his classroom last week. The notice against teacher David Burk states that any further improprieties could result in dismissal."

Said Jordan Hunter, the openly gay senior who filed the complaint against Burk: "I'm just disappointed. I'm shocked, really. This is not an acceptable end result. It was in extremely poor judgment. "Not only is it a homophobic remark, it is also a racist remark."

Burk, who has been teaching in the district for 28 years, reportedly apologized to his classes on Tuesday: These words were inappropriate, and I am truly sorry for my actions. The message I conveyed was insensitive and hurtful. That is not what I had intended."

Marriage Equality Bill Introduced in Illinois Senate

Illinois State Senator Heather Steans today introduced a marriage equality bill in the Illinois Senate:

"The bill would provide for state recognition of same-sex marriage, while ensuing that religious institutions are not required to perform any marriages that inconsistent with their religious practices.  This is a companion bill to the one introduced in the State House of Representatives by Representative Greg Harris, HB178.  The House bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Deb Mell, Sara Feigenholtz, Constance Howard, Harry Osterman and John Fritchey.  Equality Illinois applauds the sponsoring legislators for their leadership."

Said Bernard Cherkasov, Chief Executive Officer of Equality Illinois: "This is not an issue of sacred versus secular - there are plenty of synagogues and churches that both recognize and perform same-sex marriages. Rather, marriage is a civil right – plain and simple.  The state cannot have a civil institution of marriage – with its plethora of benefits, rights, and responsibilities – and exclude from it an entire class of citizens."