Monday, April 13, 2015

Students Demand Catholic School Hire Gay Teacher

Mainstream media have glommed on to students' fervor at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa who are protesting the Diocese of Des Moines decision to not hire Tyler McCubbin as a full-time teacher because he is publicly engaged to "marry" another man, even though McCubbin had worked at the school as a substitute teacher and coach in the past.  Iowa is a state that recognizes homosexuals as a protected class by law, but churches and religious institutions are exempt.
"Our contracts contain specific language that outline the expected code of conduct in accord with long accepted Church teaching.  The Catholic faith is central to our mission, and in order to deliver on that mission, it is our expectation that staff and teachers support our moral beliefs."
-- Luvern Gubbels, Des Moines Catholic Schools superintendent

"I worry about losing quality [gay job candidates]. I want Dowling to stay a strong school."
-- Protestor Andrea Cook, 1993 Dowling alumna and parent of a soon-to-be Dowling student
For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Nun Blasted by North Carolina Parents for Teaching Catholicism

California Parents Say: Drop Morals for Catholic School Teachers

California Officials Demand Immoral Teachers be Allowed in Catholic Schools

Gays, Teachers Unions March Against Cincinnati Catholic School Morals

New Jersey Catholic Religion Teacher Suspended for being Too Biblical



-- From "Dowling Students Protest School's Refusal to Hire Gay Teacher" by Rob Dillard, Iowa Public Radio 4/8/15

Dowling [16-year-old] sophomore Grace Mumm helped organize the rally. She says the action will not lead to employment for Tyler McCubbin at Dowling. But she still thinks it delivers a message.

“Let the community know the decisions of our school leaders and our diocesan leaders do not directly reflect what the students believe," she says. "And, as you can see by the turnout, that’s kind of coming true.”

Dowling junior Delaney Dunne identified herself as bisexual as she addressed the crowd.

“I just don’t want students to feel like they aren’t welcomed at this school because there are closeted people everywhere who don’t feel accepted in the real world," she says. "And I just think at school you should feel safe and accepted.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Dowling Catholic students protest decision not to hire gay teacher" by Katherine Klingseis, The Des Moines Register 4/8/15

Students were allowed to leave class and participate in the event without facing punishment, said Tara Nelson, marketing manager for Dowling.

Des Moines Catholic Schools administrators said in a letter to parents Tuesday that a candidate wasn't offered a full-time position recently because the applicant's personal life "was at odds with Church teaching."

Des Moines diocese Bishop Richard Pates released a statement the same day explaining the Catholic Church "calls for us to accept those with same-sex tendencies," but also teaches that "marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman."

Many attendees at the walkout voiced their support for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender at Dowling and beyond. Some of the speakers identified as LGBT themselves.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Dowling High decision not to hire gay teacher protected by law" by Kathy A. Bolten, The Des Moines Register 4/8/15

"Just in terms of employment discrimination laws, religious institutions can in fact discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation," said Paul Gowder, associate law professor at the University of Iowa. "Whether that's a good idea or not is another question entirely." [He] predicted there will be "a serious ethical and legal debate as we move in time" over the rights of a religious institution to discriminate against someone because of his or her sexual orientation.

"I'm concerned about the notion that the message that we are sending allows a religious school to discriminate against gays and lesbians," he said.

"Are we going see more of this? I think we are, undoubtedly," said Mark Kende, director of Drake University's Constitutional Law Center. [He] agreed that the issue will continue to simmer, particularly as more states allow same-sex marriage.

And, he said, there eventually could be movement by the courts.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Dowling students want to form gay-straight alliance" by Mackenzie Ryan, The Des Moines Register 4/9/15

Students at Dowling Catholic High School are asking administrators to show their support for youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender by forming a gay-straight alliance at the school.

The show of solidarity has helped several Dowling students feel comfortable enough to come out to their peers, and students plan on wearing rainbow-colored clothes Friday to continue the effort.

"We have had ongoing discussions related to this issue for the last several years," the [school's] statement said. "Please know our conversations on how best to support all students is ongoing."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Students protest after Catholic high school won’t hire a gay teacher ‘engaged’ to another man" by Ben Johnson, LifeSiteNews.com 4/9/15

At the Wednesday rally, many students asked the school to become more gay-friendly by forming an LGBT Alliance group. Father Zach Kautzky told local media he is in an “ongoing talk” about the group's formation, but if it takes place, homosexual and bisexual students must “be encouraged to live in chastity, the life they are called to.”

But the record is not at all clear that Dowling Catholic High School is particularly anti-gay. Sources told LifeSiteNews that the school allowed the Eychaner Foundation, a tax-exempt organization dedicated to mainstreaming the acceptance of homosexual behavior, to present one of its 2014 Matthew Shepard Scholarships to a Dowling Catholic High School student, Danni WebbMausbach, at a school awards ceremony. WebbMausbach said she hopes to become a full-time employee of the homosexual lobby, and “eventually, when I am a lawyer, I want to help other people in the LGBTQ community with civil cases.”

McCubbin told local media that after school officials asked if he was in an open homosexual relationship and about to be “married,” he replied, “'Yes it’s true. I’ve been engaged for almost a year now.' And they said, 'Because of that, we can’t offer you the contract.'”

He called the school's reaction “shocking.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.



Also read Most Americans Say Gay Men Untrustworthy with Boys

Click headlines below to read previous articles concerning homosexual teachers:

Homosexual Teachers Arrested for Sex with Students

Homosexual Teacher in Brooklyn Paid Boy for Oral Sex

Homosexual Teacher Jailed in Penn. for Paying Boys to Sext Him

Homosexual Teacher Rapes 1st Grader in New Orleans

Homosexual Teacher Arrested on Child Porn in Illinois

Homosexual Teacher Says Child Porn OK to View

And read about myriad male teachers suddenly showing up to schools dressed as women.