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.
Pop star gushes over romance with Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes while saying she felt pressured to identify as a lesbian — fueling right-wing backlash.
Last weekend, queer pop star JoJo Siwa abruptly canceled her upcoming performance at a Chicago Pride event scheduled for Sunday, June 29.
Back Lot Bash Chicago, host of the two-day outdoor event, announced on Instagram that Siwa would no longer be performing, citing a "scheduling conflict," according to the Daily Mail.
No further explanation was given for the cancellation.
Siwa, 22, recently released her latest single, "Bulletproof," independently after parting ways with Columbia Records, which had issued her 2022 EP Guilty Pleasure. Neither she nor the label commented on the split.
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.
A fundamentalist church in Indianapolis is defending a June 29 sermon in which a lay preacher urged congregants to pray for LGBTQ people to die and suggested they kill themselves.
The remarks, delivered by Stephen Falco during a “Men’s Preaching Night” at Sure Foundation Baptist Church, included multiple homophobic slurs, biblical references, and rants against Pride Month, LGBTQ rights, and what he called “disgusting” and “evil” behavior, according to TheIndianapolis Star.
"Why do I hate sodomites, why do I hate f****ts? Because they attack children," Falco ranted in the sermon, video of which was posted to Sure Foundation Baptist Church's YouTube channel. "They're coming after your children, they are attacking them in schools today, and not only schools, in public places, and they're proud about it!
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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.
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