Teacher Reads Students Same-Sex Fairy Tale, Resigns Amid "Hostile" Work Environment
The North Carolina teacher who read his third grade students King & King, a fairytale that depicts two princes who kiss, fall in love, and get married, has resigned from his position over controversy that developed in the wake of his lesson.
In May, Omar Currie told WRAL he decided to read the fable as a way to combat the bullying that was happening among his students, particularly students who were using "girl" and "gay" as slurs directed at their young classmates.
"They only way to combat school bullying is teachers engaging in difficult, yet powerful, conversations with their students," he said.
Meg Goodhand, the assistant principal who first recommended the book to Currie, also submitted her resignation following complaints from parents who accused the two of "indoctrinating" their children with "a gay agenda."
Officials at Efland-Cheeks Elemenatry School held a meeting with parents who were infuriated that they weren't consulted before Currie read the book. Officials ultimately decided not to ban the book, but enacted a new policy in which parents would be notified before any lessons involving LGBT material were given.
"That's what the letter does, it says we're reading this book about two dads, or two mommies, I was told that it was controversial, which means all LGBQT polices are controversial," Currie told News & Observer. "We should be ashamed of ourselves for even considering that we should be doing that because a minority of people find it offensive."
Speaking with The Herald Sun, Currie called the new policy "unrealistic" and "dangerous." He also recalls feeling "intimidated" by Efland-Cheeks staff and says officials created a "hostile environment toward their teaching staff."
"I think that that’s very dangerous for a school system to get behind and support," he said. "I felt they were trying to silence the conversation."
Goodhand is forbidden from commenting on the situation but still stands behind Currie's decision to read the book.
