After a bullying incident prompted a teacher to read an all-inclusive fairy tale to his class, controversy and uproar led to both his and the assistant principal’s resignation
Efland-Cheeks Elementary School Assistant Principal Meg Goodhand gave third-grade teacher Omar Currie King & King, a book in which a prince marries another prince instead of a princess, to read to his elementary school students.
Currie’s attempt to expose his third grade class to the LGBT community came after one of his students was repeatedly being called “gay” and being bullied. Backlash from a few parents put Currie on the hot seat as they accused him of forcing his opinions on the children without their parents’ permission, although Asst. Principal Goodhand and LGBTQ advocates defended his decision.
Currie defended his own actions and said, My reading of “King & King was the 100 percent right thing to do. It’s obvious Orange County Schools is lacking leadership right now.” He even acknowledged that he lacked the support needed to continue teaching in Orange County.
After the incident, Principal Kiley Brown instated a new rule that parents would be notified of each book being read in class and could chose to opt-out of the lesson plan. Some parents are still currently trying to ban the book from Efland-Cheeks Elementary and a committee meeting will be held thursday at Gravelly Hill Middle School.
-Nishat Baig
