Des Moines, Iowas’ Dowling Catholic High School recently declined a gay substitute teacher’s application for full-time employment, even though he had all the credentials needed to be a successful teacher. The school’s students, along with numerous alumni and community supporters, banded together today to protest the school’s decision to decline a teacher for being homosexual.
USA Today reports that more than 100 Dowling Catholic High School students, alumni, and supporters showed up for a planned class walkout after they learned Tyler McCubbin, a substitute teacher, was denied full-time employment because he openly admitted that he was engaged to another man.
According to Grace Mumm, 16, a sophomore at Dowling Catholic High School, many of the school’s students have different opinions when it comes to gay marriage, and the walkout march was to fight for the rights of those who are discriminated against.
“I just want the community to know that this is a really important topic, and that just because our school officials or diocesan leaders might have made this decision, it does not directly reflect what we believe as students.”
Prior to the protest, McKubbin was initially offered the position via a verbal agreement. However, when school officials saw his social media account that showed his relationship status, they revoked the offer .
When the students caught wind of McKubbin’s revocation, they immediately started planning the protest. School officials did not punish any of the students who left their class to protest.
Parents of Dowling Catholic High School received a letter from the school’s superintendent, Luvern Gubbles, Ed.D, explaining why they decided to deny McKubbin’s application.
“Des Moines Catholic Schools go through a multi-phased hiring process which includes interviews, a traditional background check and a social media scan. If at any time during that period the candidate or the organization identifies an issue that would preclude support of Church teaching, the school cannot extend a written offer.”
Nevertheless, many irate students feel that the hiring policies need to be changed so that it doesn’t discriminate against others based on sexual preference.
Some of the students at Dowling are gay themselves, and felt this was the perfect opportunity to open up, including Kate Courter, a 16-year-old junior. She recently told her parents about her sexual identity, and says the protest for McKubbin is what helped her come out.
“I was actually able to come out to my parents last night because we started talking about this. Even if this whole thing was sad that this situation had to happen, there’s some silver-lining, and I’m glad we can all talk about this right now.”
The walkout marks the first time any student has left class to protest for gay rights in a Catholic School. This isn’t, however, the first time a Catholic school has denied someone for being gay.
In 2010, an 8-year-old boy attending Hingham, Massachusetts’ St. Paul Elementary, was withdrawn from the school because his same-sex parents were lesbians. In another 2010 incident, two students were withdrawn from the Archdiocese of Denve r, a private Catholic school, because their parents were lesbians.
Some schools, however, are beginning to accept gay students. Inquisitr reports that a Louisiana teen, who was previously denied entrance to a high school prom because she wanted to wear a tux, was recently given permission to attend after the school’s principal had a change of heart.
Meanwhile, the students and other supporters at Dowling ended the protest holding hands and praying for a better outcome for gay students and teachers. They encourage people to get involved by using the hashtag #DowlingCares, on social media sites.
(Photos Courtesy of Zamora/ The Register )
