A New Jersey mayor is calling for an investigation after a group of public school teachers were caught making homophobic comments in a chat shared during a Zoom class.
In a group chat on Nov. 25, teachers from Dumont High School in Dumont, N.J., made disparaging comments about one of their co-workers.
“Why is that kid with the gay gym teacher?” one asked, according to a screenshot of the chat that was captured by a student and shared with NJ Advance Media.
“Is that her adopted kid? Who is gonna be all fucked up growing up watching 2 chicks kissing and calling them both mom,” said another.
Dumont Mayor Andrew LaBruno condemned the disparaging comments, saying in a Facebook post that the comments were ‘disturbing and extremely appalling” and calling on Superintendent Emanuele Triggiano to investigate the matter.
LaBruno said in the post that after speaking to Triggiano, the superintendent assured him that the incident “is being taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.”
“These homophobic comments do not reflect our community’s values, nor do they represent our beliefs in the Borough of Dumont,” LaBruno said in the post. “We are an inclusive and welcoming community. We were the first mayor and Council to raise the Pride flag in support of our neighbors in the LGBTQ community.
“While there is still much work to be done fighting against inequalities and standing up for human rights, our educators mold our children’s minds, and these comments have no place in our education system,” he added. “Dumont is one big family, and together we must ensure that all of our neighbors know that hate has no home here.”
The incident has sparked outrage among some in the community, who began circulating a Change.org petition calling for the teachers involved in the group chat to be fired. The petition has garnered more than 21,000 signatures as of publication time.
“This behavior is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the school district or its employees, and should result in their forced resignations immediately,” the petition reads.
Tammy Baldwin, Angie Craig, and Mark Pocan were among the Democrats named by the alleged shooter, a right-wing pastor with a history of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
At least three out LGBTQ Democrats in Congress have been told their names appeared on a list kept by Vance Boelter -- a right-wing preacher suspected of shooting two Minnesota state lawmakers, killing one.
The LGBTQ lawmakers -- Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) -- were among several dozen Democrats at all levels of government whose names appeared on Boelter’s alleged "hit list."
Boelter is accused of killing Minnesota Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman (Brooklyn Park) and her husband at their home on June 14, and of shooting Democratic State Sen. John Hoffman (Champlin) and his wife at their home. Hoffman and his wife are expected to recover.
Luke Ash, a Baptist pastor who worked at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, says he was fired after refusing to use a trans co-worker's preferred pronouns.
Luke Ash, lead pastor of Stevendale Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, says he was fired from his job as a library technician at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library after refusing to use a co-worker's preferred pronouns. He was reportedly dismissed after referring to the colleague by female pronouns during a July 7 conversation with another library employee.
"That co-worker corrected me, said that the person she was training preferred to be called 'he,' and I refused to use those preferred pronouns," Ash told anti-LGBTQ activist and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins during an interview on the conservative Christian political show Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.
Judi Fike, a Republican councilwoman in Groveland, Florida, has been reinstated to her seat after fellow council members suspended her over offensive social media posts targeting Black and LGBTQ communities. Fike, who was appointed in October 2024 to represent the city’s District 4, has filed a lawsuit challenging the suspension.
Fike’s attorney, Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini -- a two-time congressional candidate with a history of pushing anti-LGBTQ legislation -- told the Orlando Sentinel that Fike was reinstated following a preliminary hearing on July 16.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
A New Jersey mayor is calling for an investigation after a group of public school teachers were caught making homophobic comments in a chat shared during a Zoom class.
In a group chat on Nov. 25, teachers from Dumont High School in Dumont, N.J., made disparaging comments about one of their co-workers.
“Why is that kid with the gay gym teacher?” one asked, according to a screenshot of the chat that was captured by a student and shared with NJ Advance Media.
“Is that her adopted kid? Who is gonna be all fucked up growing up watching 2 chicks kissing and calling them both mom,” said another.
Dumont Mayor Andrew LaBruno condemned the disparaging comments, saying in a Facebook post that the comments were ‘disturbing and extremely appalling” and calling on Superintendent Emanuele Triggiano to investigate the matter.
LaBruno said in the post that after speaking to Triggiano, the superintendent assured him that the incident “is being taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.”
See also: Missouri teacher attacks marriage equality, students demand action
“These homophobic comments do not reflect our community’s values, nor do they represent our beliefs in the Borough of Dumont,” LaBruno said in the post. “We are an inclusive and welcoming community. We were the first mayor and Council to raise the Pride flag in support of our neighbors in the LGBTQ community.
“While there is still much work to be done fighting against inequalities and standing up for human rights, our educators mold our children’s minds, and these comments have no place in our education system,” he added. “Dumont is one big family, and together we must ensure that all of our neighbors know that hate has no home here.”
The incident has sparked outrage among some in the community, who began circulating a Change.org petition calling for the teachers involved in the group chat to be fired. The petition has garnered more than 21,000 signatures as of publication time.
“This behavior is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the school district or its employees, and should result in their forced resignations immediately,” the petition reads.
Read more:
John Cleese comes under fire for anti-transgender tweets
Gay people are having more sex during COVID, despite transmission risk
Biden taps lesbian campaign advisor Karine Jean-Pierre as deputy press secretary
More from Metro Weekly: