Teacher Suspended Over Slideshow: ‘I Don't Think They’d Ever Seen That Before’

From having to constantly meet shifting targets, to maintaining the focus and attention of around 25 kids at a time, teaching is a highly demanding job. It is also a job where your every action can be scrutinised.

Stacy Bailey, a two-time Teacher of the Year winning teacher at Charlotte Anderson Elementary, was suspended back in 2017 after the school district, "received complaints from parents about Ms. Bailey discussing her sexual orientation with elementary-aged students," according to a press release from the school district.

Baily had included an image in her slideshow presentation that was of her and her then-fiancé, one Julie Vazquez.

Bailey had mentioned to the children that Ms. Vazquez was her "future wife".

One parent had complained to the school district that Bailey showing an image of her with her fiancé was promoting a "homosexual agenda".

Speaking earlier this week, Bailey explained:

"When a straight teacher happily announces that she and her husband are expecting a baby to her elementary class, is she saying something inappropriate to very young and impressionable students? Is she announcing her sexual orientation? Is she presenting her life in a way that promotes her political beliefs? Of course not. She's simply sharing facts about her life," reported Buzzfeed News.

Bailey has described what happened to her as a "nightmare" and questioned why it is okay for heterosexual teachers to talk about their families.

"What happened to me is most gay teachers' worst nightmare [...] Why aren't straight teachers afraid to talk about their families? Why do they feel comfortable to have a picture of their family on their desk without questioning their safety?" Bailey told the Texas Tribune.

The school district must also, under the terms of the settlement, remove the suspension from Bailey's record.

Furthermore, the school district staff must also take mandatory training on LGBTQ+ issues.

$10,000 of the $100,000 settlement will go towards a charity for LGBTQ+ students.

Bailey's attorney will also donate $10,000 of her portion of the settlement money to the Human Rights Campaign.

Bailey hopes that her story will show other school districts that this kind of discrimination will not stand. In her own words, talking to Buzzfeed News, Bailey said:

"If you are a school district that thinks you can bully a gay teacher out of their job, I hope you remember my name and I hope you think twice."

h/t: Buzzfeed News