Book ruling at orange county school vexes teacher, critics. Currie is at the center of a controversy of reading an approved gaythemed fable book to kids in his elementary class. Efland cheecks elementary school, in western orange county, nc was the center of some controversy after thirdgrade teacher omar currie stood before 200 parents at a meeting at the school after the. After a thirdgrader tearfully recounted how another boy had called him gay during gym class, teacher omar currie chose to raise the issue during story time by reading his students a fable about a prince who falls in love with another prince, ending with a happilyeverafter royal wedding. Nc elementary school teacher, assistant principal resign amid. Jun 05, 2015 a sign outside the efland cheeks elementary school, north carolina, where thirdgrade teacher omar currie read king and king, a fairy tale where two princes fall in love, to his class. Efland, north carolina is not some major metropolis. Elementary school teacher resigns after angering parents. Public meeting over reading of gay fable to third graders. A north carolina teacher is drawing both praise and criticism for the way he handled a bullying situation with one of his students. The book king and king is about a prince who goes against his mothers wishes and marries a man. Brandy davis, who filed the complaints, and some others who.
In the wake of these resignations, we believe it is vital in the coming days for orange county school leaders to take affirmative steps to ensure that lgbt students attending efland cheek elementary and their allies. Jun 22, 2015 soon, there was a public meeting to discuss the book. Feb 07, 2014 omar currie, 3rd grade teacher efland cheeks elementary school 4401 fuller road, efland, nc. He will read to your 8 yearold child what he deems fit. Gay thirdgrade teacher resigns over rule informing. I am a grandmother of children attending eflandcheeks. Equality nc responded today to this weeks resignations of an efland, north carolina teacher and assistant principal for presenting affirming images of a gay couple to students. Omar currie was a third grade teacher there and also a gay rights advocate. North carolina teacher omar currie reads his class. He read the book to his third grade students at efland cheeks in. Controversy over gay themed book read in efland classroom sparks. The efland cheeks principal, kiley brown, sent currie a letter about the alleged student bullying.
Currie has many quotes caught by the news and observer, but this amazingly arrogant comments on your rights as parents are truly amazing. Teacher resigns after reading students book about gay couple. Omar currie, meg goodhand resign in protest over gay fable. Omar currie, a 25yearold teacher at eflandcheeks elementary school in efland, n. The story has generated widespread media attention in efland, a tiny. Total engagement consulting by kimer total engagement. Yes the third grade class got introduced to homosexual relationships. Soon, there was a public meeting to discuss the book. Both teacher omar currie and assistant principal meg goodhand have resigned from their positions at efland cheeks elementary school following the incident, which occurred in april of this year. May 19, 2015 this past month at efland cheeks elementary, 8 and 9 yearold kids were read a fairytale that contained themes about homosexuality by teacher omar currie. After a third grader tearfully recounted how his classmate had called him gay, efland, nc teacher omar currie decided to read the class king and king, a story about two princes who fall in love, as. He read the book to his third grade students at eflandcheeks in. Teacher, vice principal resign over gay fable raleigh news. In the may 15th raleigh news and observer, front page, was a story link about third grade teacher, mr.
Its about two princes who fall in love and get married. He has explained that he was inspired to teach the book after a boy in his class. Some orange county parents upset over controversial book. Teacher omar currie and assistant principal meg goodhand, from efland cheeks elementary school, officially submitted their resignation letters on monday, an orange county schools spokesman confirmed. A teacher who read his thirdgraders a book about two princes getting. A sign outside the efland cheeks elementary school, north carolina, where thirdgrade teacher omar currie read king and king, a fairy tale where two princes fall in love, to his class. The incident was never been confirmed to have even happened. Dont ban books or punish teachers for teaching tolerance. Teacher omar currie told abc11 he was trying to address a bullying problem. Omar currie read his students king and king, a fairy tale about a prince who finds his prince charming, after he perceived negative gay stereotyping in his class. Ap photo a public school district in north carolina is allowing the use of a controversial fairy tale about gay marriage to be read in its elementary schools despite widespread community opposition. Orange county teacher omar currie could resign in protest. Former efland cheeks teacher joins chapel hill panel on diversity in.
Renewed discussion on controversial book read in orange. Omar currie, holding the book he read to his third grade class, should be a leading candidate for nc teacher of the year. Teacher resigns after reading story about gay couple to class. A grandma asks about our rights after a gay story is read. Controversy over gay themed book read in efland classroom. Teacher omar currie, 25, in his second year at the school in rural western orange county, said he read the book about three weeks ago because a. Third grade teacher forced to quit after reading this book. A school teacher at efland cheeks elementary says he may resign over the controversy surrounding a book he read to students with a homosexual theme. After a boy in his third grade class was bullied for exhibiting some feminine characteristics and gay was used in negative sense, third grade teacher mr. Teacher resigns after reading gay story to students. June 2015 total engagement consulting by kimer page 2. The book king and king is about a prince who goes against. This news story in rural efland, north carolina continues to drag on.
The orange county schools system cancelled a public meeting planned for thursday night over the reading of a gay fairy tale to third graders at an elementary school this spring. Omar currie, a 25yearold gay elementary school teacher resigned this week when school administration officials implemented a policy that required teachers to notify parents of reading material ahead of time. Teacher who read gaythemed fairy tale in class resigns after. Elementary school teacher resigns after angering parents by.
Gay thirdgrade teacher resigns over rule informing parents. Teacher who read homosexual book to third graders resigns. The childrens book about a prince who falls in love and marries another man caused a stir among a group of parents from efland cheeks elementary. Since i published this blog, the teacher and viceprincipal who supported him have resigned link to latest newspaper article. North carolina thirdgrade teacher omar currie, who read a book to his class about two princes who marry each other, tells newsmax tv that he still believes he made the right decision. A few weeks ago, third grade teacher omar currie brought the book in to school. Jun 16, 2015 after a thirdgrader tearfully recounted how another boy had called him gay during gym class, teacher omar currie chose to raise the issue during story time by reading his students a fable about a prince who falls in love with another prince, ending with a happilyeverafter royal wedding. After what omar currie says was a hostile private meeting with orange county schools administrators, the embattled thirdgrade teacher plus a top administrator at efland. Teacher resigns after reading students book about gay couple raleigh, n. Gay fairy tale sparks controversy at eflandcheeks elementary. Jun 17, 2015 after what omar currie says was a hostile private meeting with orange county schools administrators, the embattled thirdgrade teacher plus a top administrator at efland cheeks elementary have. Teacher omar currie, 25, in his second year at the school in rural western orange county, said he read the book about three weeks ago because a boy was being bullied in his classroom.
May 14, 2015 eflandcheeks elementary school will hold a second public meeting at 5. He says the recent controversy over a book about samesex marriage took him by surprise. Goodhand and a number of lgbtq advocates also defended currie in a. The childrens book, published in 2002, focuses on a royal wedding between two. Omar currie, a former teacher at efland cheeks elementary school in efland, n. Elementary school teacher omar currie was supported by his. About teacher omar curries claim about bullyingupdated. Teacher omar currie knows whats best for your child. A fairy tale read in good faith leads to a nc teachers. Please see the several links to additional blogs and resources at the bottom of this short blog.
Third grade teacher forced to quit after reading this book to. And it turns out this isnt the first time the book has been read at the school. I spent my childhood years cutting up my sisters baby dolls, he said. Teacher resigns after reading students book about gay. Jun 01, 2015 the fallout has frustrated teacher omar currie, his supporters and his critics. Currie claimed this book was chosen and read due to an incident of bullying he witnessed. Ap a teacher has resigned after reading his thirdgraders a story about a gay couple, sparking controversy in a small north carolina town. Elementary teacher resigns after reading book about gay. May 18, 2015 omar currie, a 25yearold teacher at eflandcheeks elementary school in efland, n.
Omar currie, a former teacher at efland cheeks elementary school, reads from childrens book king and king at the chapel hill public library. Teacher omar currie thinking of resigning over book. Currie read the book after one boy was taunted and called gay. Harry lynchtnslandov currie, who identifies as gay, told the huffington post that he wanted to have an honest conversation with his students whom he affectionately refers to as his kids on how to treat. Teacher, vice principal resign over gay fable raleigh. Teacher who read gaythemed fairy tale in class resigns after protest. After a thirdgrader tearfully recounted how another boy had called him gay during gym class, teacher omar currie chose to raise the issue during story time by reading his. We talked about how the moral of the book was just you accept others the way they are, said currie. Each time, the committee decided to keep the book at eflandcheeks. Christian examiner a gay third grade teacher has resigned effective june 15 from a north carolina school after parent backlash in response to a book. May 14, 2015 matthew roberts is the parent of two children at efland cheeks elementary.
Efland cheeks teacher ponders future amid book controversy. Jun 16, 2015 a north carolina elementary school teacher has resigned after his decision to read a gaythemed childrens book to his thirdgrade class led to controversy in the small town of efland. Eflandcheeks elementary teacher omar currie turns to acknowledge. The teacher who read the book is named omar currie. Gaythemed childrens book challenged in north carolina school. The claim is unsubstantiated to date and evidence that this book reading might have. Parents crowd efland cheeks gym about controversial book. Nc elementary school teacher reads gay fable to students.
May 16, 2015 parents, teacher omar currie knows what is best for your child. Orange county teacher omar currie could resign in protest indy. Brandy davis, who filed the complaints, and some others who objected to the book feel disrespected as parents and community members. Book ruling at efland school vexes teacher, critics news. Teacher who read gaythemed fairy tale in class resigns.
Omar currie, 25, teaches third grade at eflandcheeks elementary school in efland, north carolina. A north carolina teacher quit after reading a story about a gay couple to his class at efland cheeks elementary school. Teacher resigns after reading story about gay couple to. Omar currie, 3rd grade teacher efland cheeks elementary school 4401 fuller road, efland, nc. Christian examiner a gay third grade teacher has resigned effective june 15 from a north carolina school after parent backlash in response to a book he read to the class about two princes who fall in love. Teacher, vice principal resign over gay fable charlotte. This teacher read a gay fairy tale to third gradersthen. I decided i was going to johns hopkins when i was 6 years old. Orange county schools cancels meeting over gay fable.
This past month at efland cheeks elementary, 8 and 9 yearold kids were read a fairytale that contained themes about homosexuality by teacher omar currie. Currie claims to have read this book to combat bullying and cited an alleged incident where a student used the term gay in a derogatory manner. Orange county teacher who read gay fable says educators. Please support omar currie and dont ban king and king or any other book that helps our kids learn to respect each other. Gay fable draws complaints at orange county elementary school. Ap after a thirdgrader tearfully recounted how another boy had called him gay during gym class, teacher omar currie chose to raise the issue during story time by reading his students a fable about a prince who falls in love with another prince, ending with a. The fallout has frustrated teacher omar currie, his supporters and his critics. That includes a book about homosexuality because bullying. Jun 01, 2015 omar currie says he didnt always want to be a teacher. Harry lynchtnslandov currie, who identifies as gay, told the huffington post that he wanted to have an honest conversation with his students whom he affectionately refers to as his kids on how to treat people who may seem different. Currie feels disrespected as a teacher and gay man.
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