A New Zealand school that fired a coach for being gay must now pay him undisclosed compensation, according to the Associated Press. Middleton Grange School in Christchurch fired the girls netball coach, whose name was withheld, when they discovered he is gay. The board of trustees must also attend a human rights awareness class. The coach has since found another coaching job.
It’s a reminder that no matter how gay-friendly a culture can seem on the outside, all it takes is a couple people to make life difficult for a gay person. Thankfully the more welcoming heads prevailed.
on Jul 25th, 2010 at 11:17 PM
It’s worth noting that Middleton Grange is a conservative christian school – external to the public school system.
Sexual Orientation is a protected human right in New Zealand. Asshole groups like Middleton Grange (who also run the conservative ‘think tank’ the “Maxim Institute” – who were the main opposition to the gay Civil Union bill) are legally unable to discriminate. Furthermore, the prosecution costs of this are covered by the state – you complain to the police, and they take care of the rest.