Dallas-area art teacher Stacy Bailey has been suspended after she discussed her sexual orientation with students, Mansfield Independent School District officials said Tuesday afternoon. Bailey, who has been suspended without pay since September, was named "Teacher of The Year" in 2016.
The district contests original reports that the teacher was put on administrative leave after asking officials to consider adding LGBT-inclusive language to her district's anti-discrimination policies. In an email statement, MISD officials claim it is their “general rule not to comment on employee personnel matters” but the national outrage "has created disruption to the Charlotte Anderson Elementary School educational environment.”
The school suspended Bailey because she “insists that it is her right and that it is age appropriate for her to have ongoing discussions with elementary-aged students about her own sexual orientation, the sexual orientation of artists, and their relationships with other gay artists.”
The district feels that “parents have the right to control the conversation with their children, especially as it relates to religion, politics, sex/sexual orientation, etc.” Administrators contend they met with Bailey more than once after they claim they received complaints from parents. “Ms. Bailey refused to follow administration’s directions regarding age-appropriate conversation with students,” school officials said in a statement.
Bailey's lawyers say the school is lying — that she merely mentioned her family, which includes her wife, to her students and that the school received one complaint, not numerous.
Bailey also believes her suspension is partly due to her advocating for non-discrimintation policies at the school. The September 8 letter which notified her she was placed on administrative leave without pay did not give a reason for the suspension, but it came a day after Bailey asked two counselors at Ben Barber Innovation Academy via email if that school had a gay/straight alliance group. Bailey was trying to connect to its organizers after asking district officials on August 25 about establishing a similar group. Read more via Advocate