Oregon's 2014 Teacher of Year placed on leave. Had been warned not to speak about being gay...

[madfloridian]

even though it was no secret. He got a call from his lawyer while on a field trip with students.

Here is Brett Bigham's Twitter feed.

From The Oregonian:

Oregon 2014 Teacher of the Year placed on paid administrative leave

Oregon's 2014 Teacher of the Year Brett Bigham has been placed on paid administrative leave, his district confirmed Friday afternoon.

....Bigham teaches in Multnomah Education Service District's transition program, which helps special education students from ages 18 to 21 with work and life skills. In October of 2013 he was the first openly gay educator to be named Oregon Teacher of the Year, and has used the role as a platform to discuss gay rights, bullying and suicide prevention.

Last fall Bigham submitted a grievance alleging mistreatment and has also filed two complaints with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries alleging sexual orientation discrimination and retaliation. Bigham has additionally filed a complaint against district officials with the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.

...Bigham feels the move is retaliation against him for filing the complaints. He said he thought first of his students and said he wasn't sure how his classroom would be managed.

"I just went ahead and left," he said. "It breaks my heart."

He got a call from his lawyer while on a field trip.

From Daily Mail UK

(They misspelled his surname)

Bingham (Bigham) found out he was being placed on leave during a field trip with his students on Friday.

He said it was his lawyer, who received a letter from the district, who broke the news.

'I returned to school and nobody spoke to me,' he told Fox 12.

'At 3.30 I just packed up my favorite plants and put a box of my stuff together that I was afraid would be thrown away and I left.'

I posted about Brett Bigham in February, about the way he was being harassed by administrators.

Oregon Teacher of Year threatened with discipline. He stands against bullying of LGBT students.

I was impressed by his words from the article:

“I spent this year talking about LGBT kids and how teachers need to stand up for them against bullies,” said Bigham. “I’ve faced this kind of bullying from my district, and I feel like a hypocrite if I don’t stand up to it.

Also posted at my Twitter feed.

[ND-Dem]

1. Never go off the script given by powerholders, brett.

[madfloridian]

5. So true.

[RKP5637]

2. There are so many dimensions of stupidity in the US often I think it should be

named US = United Stupidity, working hard to bring on Total Idiocracy.

[madfloridian]

3. The comments at the Oregonian are just sickening.

Do they not read them or monitor them at all?

[RKP5637]

6. What horrific bigots. n/t

[madfloridian]

11. Apt description.

[DonRedwood]

16. No they don't

[TheKentuckian]

4. Unfortunately, this is easily one of the least jacked up of our states.

We might not make the Vogans seem friendly or cuddly but we sure make them seem reasoned, sensible, thoughtful, and humanitarian.

[SusanCalvin]

9. I know!

This crap happens in *Oregon*? *Oregon* makes Texas look, if not good at least as if it has company?

(I'm in Texas, and I'm aware there are many good Democrats here, but our government.....! - and those who elect it.....)

[HuckleB]

7. This story is truly frustrating and puzzling.

I'd like to see some Portlanders do some of something they do well: Protest about this. Oddly, the activist community here has been rather silent.

I'm confused, in general. And saddened.

[madfloridian]

8. I've always pictured Portland as rather liberally outspoken...

just the opposite of Florida. So I guess this surprised me. And disappointed me.

[HuckleB]

10. It is in many ways, but I sometimes think too many people think...

... that gay rights are now "a given," just because they are in most social circles here. They forget that, even here, one out of three people are Republican, and some of them are as bigoted as it gets. And people don't realize that an anti-gay person can make ugly things happen if they are in a position of authority in a business, education setting, etc... And there's plenty of race BS here, to boot. It's not out in the open like in the South, but it's definitely here. That, at least, is still an issue that gets discussion and advocacy. But it's almost as being gay is not a valid position of oppression, because people are focused on issues for trans people, and things like polyamory. Equal rights and freedom to live one's life in the manner one wants to do so is an awesome thing to advocate for, but it's not positive to forget that anti-gay BS remains a part of the landscape everywhere.

And the sad reality is that Portland has far too many of some new version of "limousine liberals," where appearance is what matters. What they eat, what they don't eat, etc... is the entire focus of so many people in this town that it's just bizarre. Now, I love good food, but...

As a guy who has spent all of his life in Portland working with the developmentally disabled, as the teacher in question has, I can attest to being absolutely shocked at the number of times I have spoken with outspoken liberal advocates who just can't understand why I would work with "THAT" population.

I just thought about as I was writing this, and I wonder if that plays a part in this story. Hmm.

[Lizzie Poppet]

19. And for the most part, it is.

But we have our throwbacks here, just like anywhere...

[DonRedwood]

17. I'm confused too.

[alp227]

12. "Progressive" Oregon? nt

[FloriTexan]

13. Kick

[eppur_se_muova]

14. I was expecting this to be in eastern OR, not a suburb of Portland. Disappointing. nt

[Smarmie Doofus]

15. Kick, rec. n/t

[progressoid]

18. This stood out to me, "He said it was his lawyer, who received a letter from the district"

Teachers have to have lawyers now.

[Omaha Steve]

20. We need a shame icon

[madfloridian]

22. Yes, we do.

[msanthrope]

21. He should sue the motherfuck out of the district. nt