In North Carolina: A Teacher steps down for Reading a Gay Children's Book to Students

A teacher, from Efland-Cheeks Elementary School, had to resign for reading a gay children's book in the classroom.

Third-grade teacher Omar Currie read a gay children's book called , "King and King" to his students. He did this because one of the students was being bullied and he thought it would be a good learning tool. The book is just a children's book there is nothing graphic about it. In fact, it was given to him by Assistant Principal Meg Goodhand (who also resigned).

Well, that pissed off a bunch of rednecks in the town of Efland and they held a meeting to discuss it.

Queerty reports

More than 200 parents and residents of the small 750-person town attended an open meeting to discuss Currie’s use of the book in class.

Some parents stood up to publicly tell Currie he’d die an early death and spend eternity in hell. We wonder where the kid who sparked the incident by calling another student gay learned that kind of attitude? 

But the hate didn’t stop there. Currie received anonymous mail saying that being gay is a “birth defect” and accusing him of indoctrinating children through “psycho-emotional rape.”

Though Currie wasn’t officially disciplined by the school, he says administrators became hostile towards him, and he was upset the principle enacted a rule that teachers must inform parents of every book read in class, giving them the option to opt out.

“My reading of King & King was the 100% right thing to do,” he said.

“There was no way I was going to have the support I needed to continue teaching [at the school].”

It's sad that Omar had to leave. However, it probably for the best. Being Black and possibly gay in a town like Efland, doesn't seem to be a good idea. I hope he leaves and finds a place that will be open to real education and diversity.