Thread by @2014ORTOY

In 2014, after being named Teacher of the Year, my supervisor told me if I said I was gay in public I would be "shot in the head."

I was told I would be fired if I did not bring her all of my private mail from home to read. (more)

I was told by my supervisor "You shut your mouth someone is going to kill you."

The New York Times asked to interview me about a meeting with @arneduncan that led to policy change.
I was told no-I was not allowed to say "any words" not approved in advance. (more)

I was reprimanded for writing a letter to the editor. The head of special ed was pulled in as well. She told me as Teacher of the Year I represented the district 24 hours a day.

I was told I could not longer meet or speak to
"any person or group" they did not approve of. (more)

I had plans to speak about Suicide Prevention with a Gay Student Club.

I was told I would be fired if I met with them because meeting with gay students "has no value to this school district."

When I went to the White House for the White House Honoring Ceremony I was asked if I wanted to say anything about students I work with. I made a statement in support of LGBT youth. Then I flew back to Oregon and found I was at war. My district attempted to destroy me. (more)

Seriously. They boxed up my desk and told me if I entered my classroom during my prep, planning or breaks I would be disciplined/fired.

My class was a medically fragile classroom. I was the only classroom in the building. I was being told to leave the room teacher-less. (more)

I wrote the school board and told them the action of the superintendent was endangering my students.

I refused to leave the room without a teacher of record. I refused to leave my medically fragile students without a teacher for 2.5 hours a day. (more)

My district refused to supply another teacher-I refused to leave the room.

You better believe I fought them.

And they pulled out every nasty trick you could think of. My dept. head demanded my students clean her office-where she kept her wine-of-the-month club boxes. (more)

I refused and asked the superintendent to intervene. "I can't have my kids around liquor," I told her investigator.

I get hauled into the Super's office and told I am a liar.
"Wine," she says, is not distilled, therefor it is not liquor." I was reprimanded.

(more)

Superintendent orders me to counseling three nights a week-two hours a night because I am "sick" and a "compulsive liar."

I'm the sitting Oregon State Teacher of the Year at the time. A few months earlier this same person had said, "He is the best teacher we've ever had." (more)

The investigator, (obviously not impartial) asked me why I would be upset in the first place that my supervisor's wine-of-the-month club box came to the mail room, next door to my class, where my kids work.

"They are too retarded to read the box," he said to me
(more)

It was at this point I left the meeting with the Superintendent and filed state and federal complaints against my district. It was obvious they were no going to protect my students and that I would have to do it.

They pulled every trick to stop me.
(more)

I fought like a bear. My/Union lawyers were merciless.
I was fired for two weeks. The superintendent was fired for good. The head of special ed was removed, my supervisor fired, almost the entire chain of command was reprimanded.
I cleaned that house.
(more)

Today the Supreme Court ruled that #LGBT people are protected in the workplace. Down inside that case is a brief by the @splcenter that shows how LGBT workers are discriminated against.

I'm one of their examples. My case was part of that decision today in DC. (more)

Today is a vindication that every single thing that my district @MultnomahESD did to me. Every lie they told-every illegal thing they did to me, giving my W-4 to the public, the coercion, the threats-all now examples of illegal activity.

(more)

I used to daydream that someday @MultnomahESD would apologize for what they did to me and my students. Especially my students.

They never have.

Instead they were an example of hate and bigotry on the floor of the Supreme Court of the United States.
(more)

During a time when the most right-leaning court in our History, and the Supreme Court held up that actions like those of @MultnomahESD are illegal.

MESD needs to apologize to the community for waisting, I'm guessing, over a million $ in payouts/fines/lawyers. (more)

And when they are done apologizing for their million dollar cover up, they can apologize to me.

@MultnomahESD told reporters I missed too much school-they had to fire me. They have never acknowledged the Superintendent ORDERED me to be out one day a week promoting the district.

Also: @MultnomahESD told reporters I had missed 45 days as Teacher of the Year, which was a lie. I missed 22.5 days-but-in the application process MESD filled out to support my nomination of Teacher of the Year, they signed that I would be required to miss up to 180 days. (more)

And finally, I'd like to see an apology to my students @MultnomahESD. You never once admitted that you should not have allowed a Dept Head to have her Wine of the Month club delivered/stored in the building, instead you attacked me for protecting my kids.
(more)

And, even though @MultnomahESD paid a pretty big fine for it (tax dollars) I'd like an apology for giving copies of my W-4 forms out to the public and then lying and saying you had not attached them...when you clearly did. Which is why you were fined. Which you paid. (more)

I feel I can wrap up the fight. I wanted legal precedence. Today the Supreme Court ruled on a case that used me as an example of discrimination against LGBT people.

In my dreams I never thought my fight could weigh in so heavily the end.

Cue StarTrek fight theme music. I'm out.

(bad editing-his comments were before this meeting)

People are asking me what I did with my anger. I used it to build. I went to @NNSTOY-we surveyed Teachers of the Year to find what books they use to teach equity. 300 books, by grade level, vetted by the best.

Powerful stuff.

nnstoy.org/wp-content/upl…

I invite teachers to also seek out @Ed_CivilRights, I am one of their Leading Educator Ambassadors for Equity. All they do is fight for the civil rights of students around the country. You should give them a follow and a shout out!

For an even happier ending...

Mike and I were married soon after I was told I would be fired if I said I was gay in public.

The press showed up, the paper carried 45 pictures, we were married on live tv.

I wonder who tipped off the press?

oregonlive.com/portland/2014/…

And since you have all read this far: I'm more than just a gay teacher. I also make books to help autistic people get out in their community. There are 175+ books, 41 countries, 6 languages-all free online. Share them out, eh?
mrbsclassroom.com/ability-guideb…

Hell just froze over-a Tuesday addition:

My district published an apology for their past LGBTQ discrimination and to me directly.

The power of the Supreme Court and a bunch of angry tweeters. Thank You. I never expected to get this apology. This one is on you.
Love to you all.