SIGN PETITION NOW
Tell the Haywood County, Tenn. School Board to Fire Rabidly Anti-Gay Principal
This is infuriating and makes my blood boil.
In Brownsville, Tenn., Haywood High School principal Dorothy Bond told gay students that they were “not on God’s path.”
According to reports, the obnoxious and offensive comments were made at a school assembly last month. Bond allegedly told students that gay people are “ruining their lives,” and she said public displays of affection among gay students could result in 60-day suspensions and even expulsion.
The ACLU says that this is not the first time Bond has made homophobic remarks, once telling a lesbian student that she would “go to hell” for being gay. Bond also reportedly has incorporated prayers and proselytizing into school events.
This unconstitutional, anti-gay abuse has no place in America’s public schools. Instead of doing her job by nurturing and protecting all students, Bond is singling out LGBT teenagers for ridicule and acting like a schoolyard bully.
Now is your chance to tell Bond to “Go to hell.”
Please tell the school board that Bond must be immediately fired for her outrageous comments and unprofessional, if not illegal, conduct. Clearly, she is unfit to serve in a neutral environment without forcing her backward views down the throats of vulnerable children.
I just tried calling Haywood High School in Brownsville, TN (located approximately 60 miles northeast of Memphis) to complain. The principal’s name is Dorothy Brown. The person answering the phone seemed extremely stressed and their phones are ringing off of the hook. The person said that they were not allowed to comment or listen to complaints and hung up. I strongly urge people to call anyhow. The phone number for the high school is 731.772.1845.
Next, please call the Haywood County School District at 731.772.9613. I pushed 0 to get an operator and when I told her about the nature of the call I was put through to one of the staff’s voice mail. It is critical that we flood them with calls. It is also critical that a number of the national organizations get involved with this.
Thanks Wayne for bringing this to our attentions.
Here are the phone numbers and names of the rest of the school board.
Harold Garrett, Chairman 731-254-9641
Robbie Jarrett-King, Vice-Chairman 731-772-5093
Pearlie Hess 731-772-1604
Allen Currie 731-772-4968
Daniel Thornton 731-780-1641 drjthorn10@aol.com
I just called the high school. The principal’s name is not Dorothy Brown, it is Dorothy Bond. I was given Art Heywood’s number to leave a message.
The Towleroad article printed a number of other remarks that this principal has made. Besides being a rabid homophobe, she sounds like a genuine nut in general and should not be allowed anywhere near children. They should fire her a*s, immediately.
This is a very rural area in TN. They will not take any action on this unless we, the public, make it impossible for them to ignore what must be done. An example must be made of this principal. She needs to know statements like these will not go unpunished. Nothing short of her dismissal & a formal apology will do.
What an unconscionable thing to do. As an educator she should be teaching tolerance. We have enough hate crimes and enough youngsters committing suicide as it is.
As an educator and a person in charge she should be setting the example not adding to the problem. This woman is dangerous and needs to go. She needs to be fired. Thank you.
Elizabeth
Are we still dealing with people like this in 2012? And in a leadership role? She really needs to be removed as principle and get some diversity training. Maybe the entire staff could use some after working in an unwelcoming environment.
I find it difficult to imagine how a person with such rabid views can serve in a public position of trust and not realize that her views are hers alone and not seek to compel others to adopt the same views. As an evangelical pastor, I know this may be difficult for a true believer, but the true believer must keep her views that are hurtful to others private or shared only with those whom she knows already agree with her.
What a disgrace in this day and age, Religious zealots can’t leave well alone. The Students that need the most compassion she apparently throws under the bus literally. And we want to know why Students come with machine guns and kill the innocent. Who on earth gave that Principal her position should be fired as well. Ignorance is not bliss, you don’t have to approve of LGBT’s but keep it at home and to yourself. A woman in that position should know better, what an Ignoramus. D:(
As a retired teacher of 30 years experience, including time as Principal and over 20 years as Religious Studies teacher…I find this kind of behaviour extremely hateful and full of malice…all of you should be fired, Principal and all other administration members…just because your ignorance allowed this to take place. None of you should ever be allowed to set foot inside a school again or be within 100 meters of a student..Just be happy that I am not on your staff…
I appreciate the appropriate numbers being posted so we know who to contact to express our concerns about having this person in a position of guidance or authority over anyone’s children. There is a very big difference between holding personal views on certain topics and imposing those views as judgments against other human beings, especially when they are children who are in your care. It is NOT appropriate to express such things to anyone’s child from the pulpit of a principal’s office. I think that she has demonstrated clearly enough through repeated behavior that she does not have the capacity for judgment to be in this professional position. I can only hope that the public outcry will convince the school board to at least reassess her qualifications and do the right thing in terms of where she should, or should not, be employed.
This kind of harassment is uncalled for, especially by a leadership figure such as the principal of a public school, and especially in a state is not only unwilling to enforce gay rights, but actually passed a law preventing anyone from even trying to do so. These rural communities often think they’re remote enough to be isolated from being reprimanded for outright bigoted behavior. It’s time to show them they’re wrong.
This principal needs to be sent back to school. It would help her in her job to learn that there is no place for discrimination in public education.
I just called 2 board members (Harold Garrett Pearlie Hess) from telephone numbers above. Mr. Garrett said thank you and Ms. Hess started to argue with me that she knows “for a fact that the information is wrong.” I told her I’m a teacher in Chicago and she I watch ypthe news too much.
This is from the school district’s website from when she was named principal:
Superintendent of Haywood County Schools Marlon King announced Tuesday afternoon that Mrs. Dorothy J. Bond, currently principal at Haywood Junior High School, will take the principal position at Haywood High School next year. She will replace Robert Mitchell who is retiring. King commented in an earlier media release that after much prayer and deliberation – and confident of God’s clear leading and guidance, he was certain that Mrs. Dorothy Bond is the person for the challenge.
“Ms. Bond is a highly respected citizen of the Brownsville-Haywood County community. Her ability to relate to others and her integrity have shown me that she would be able to capitalize on her predecessor’s efforts while taking Haywood High School to great achievement levels.” said Superintendent King.
A Carver High School graduate, Mrs. Bond earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Secondary Education from Lane College. At the University of Memphis she earned hours in Elementary Guidance and Counseling, an elementary certification endorsement from the University of Tennessee-Martin and a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University. She taught at Anderson Grammar School from 1973 to 1994, and at Sunny Hill School from 1995 to 1997 before being named assistant principal in 1997. She took the reins as principal of Sunny Hill in 1998, and during this school year served as principal at Haywood Junior High School.
Ms. Bond has received several accolades, just to name a few: Teacher of the Year (1978, 1995), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Hall of Fame Award, Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year, Honorary Service Award – First South Bank, Nola Walker-Bond Distinguished Service Award, First South Bank Community Director Award, Woman of the Year – Tabernacle Methodist Church.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve in the finest high school in West Tennessee,” Mrs. Bond said. “I am humbled by the appointment, and I am grateful to Superintendent King for the confidence he’s placed in me. I come to Haywood High for the children of this county.”
Ms. Bond and her husband Joe Bond have one daughter, Jessica Bond. They are members of Tabernacle CME Church.
Sorry…my phone cut words out in msg above: Ms Hess (board member) said I watch the news too much.
HRC just reported she resigned! :)
http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/update-anti-lgbt-tn-prinicpal-resigns
This is inexcusable. In my school district the least offensive thing directed at a student, whether it’s about the kid’s race, color, religion, class, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, or family situation, such hurtful words can earn a lengthy suspension and/or termination.
Besides, the principal has no right to suspend a kid for being gay, that is if such is not in violation of district policy. I am sure Mrs. Bond is a good educator, but as one African-American educator to another, I’d tell her to go back to school and learn more about the children with which you are entrusted. That’s what hurts most.
Yes, she needs to go. But until then, I’m worried for the kids. This is just the kind of emotional situation that leads to a devastating reaction by some young person who can’t take it anymore. I would hate to see lives lost over this woman’s incompetence.
This woman needs to be fired. It is obvious from the statement when she was hired that she will not be reprimanded by the board.
“King commented in an earlier media release that after much prayer and deliberation – and confident of God’s clear leading and guidance, he was certain that Mrs. Dorothy Bond is the person for ”
A principal should be hired on their work with children not on their religous beliefs Unless they are going to be working in a christian school. They should protect and comfort ALL children. This is disgusting.
As many teen suicides as there are these days the principal should be fired.It is also stated preaching and the Bible are not allowed in shools sue to the overturn of praying and stating the pledge of allegence in shools.
Yes! She has resigned!! This is really good news!
Now that she has resigned and the Board has released a reasonable statement (don’t ask me if all of the members believe in what it says, but … ) now it’s time to thank the Board for their statement and tell them what a good thing it is for the community that the school will have a new principal who acts in accordance with the Board’s very positive statement.
Prejudice people should come to understand diversity!
This woman needs to be fired ASAP. If she wants to teach religious doctrine, let her work for a religious school.
The damage this homophobic bigot is doing to those kids is reprehensible! She needs to be FIRED NOW!
She is not acting in any sort of “Christian” manner.
She obviously lives in the “Old Testament” She would be scandalized and horrified by the people that Jesus mingled with and ministered to while here on earth. No doubt there are gays and lesbians in her family tree. There no families without such
ancestors. She comes across as a malevolent miscreant!
Discipline her? This woman should be let go from her position. This is the kind of thinking that has given the South a bad name for years… if she’d been referring to any other minority, she would have been asked to resign a long time ago. I wouldn’t want someone like this as a role model for my child.
Bond did the right thing to resign, both for herself and for the students who don’t need to exist in an environment of religious bigotry and social ignorance. I hope that the students she harmed can forgive her and that someday she will understand and forgive herself.
Just read all the comments above mine; didn’t realize she had already resigned. Great!
People who judge others are going to HELL!
FIRE THE b***h!!!!!!!!!
This woman is not in a place to even speak to these students. Does she know that Baltimore Catacism is over with. It was discontinued with the Vatican II in 1968.
Yes do remove her from being a principle. On many accounts what she is saying s very damaging. She needs to learn acceptance, diversity and tolerance. God forbid if one her kids is gay. But have seen quite a few cases where parents were preaching homobobics because they thought that this was never going to happen them and their famly. In some cases where their children have actually come out to them. They panicked at first and tried to send them to turn to a straight life style. When their dearly beloved stood their ground, these parents had slow coming out process to accepting, not to lose their kids. It’s hard, but not impossible. It can be done.
With all this said, people in authority, that kids look up to, need to lead by example acceptance of one another. Don’t victimize your students.
Susan
This old world is a tough place for most young people who are desperately trying to learn who they are and how to get along in it and here were are talking about an average kid, if there really is such a thing. Now think about how much more difficult the situation is if a child is gay. Before anyone says being gay is a choice let me stop them right now. No one gets to decide what they find to be attractive. Your neighbor may have painted his house 5 different shades of pink and this neighbor thinks he or she now has the best looking house in the neighborhood. You look at the house and it may cause you to gag. The neighbor is never going to think that instead of the nicest house it is the worst looking house in the state and you are never going to find the mess attractive. Now think how much more complicated sexual attraction is. I have a friend who goes absolutely gaga over virtually any girl wearing tight jeans and cowboy boots. The girl may have a very unattractive face but he doesn’t see it. No one gets to chose who they find sexually attractive; it is as simple as that. By the time most gay children reach high school and if they aren’t particularly effeminate or masculine for a girl, they have been subjected to hearing gay jokes and the negative attitudes of other kids for years. The children who are effeminate or masculine have been living in hell for years. They are aware of the attitude the society in which they live has for gay people. People crave acceptance by their peers no one, given the society in which they live would ever chose to be gay. It just wouldn’t happen.
To this situation add a bigoted homophobe such as Dorothy Bond and put her in the office of principle. Here we find ignorance by choice. Bond doesn’t want to help these children she has chosen to subject to her hate and bias. She doesn’t want to be educated; in fact she has already rejected any other view but her own. And it is so very wrong. This woman is a danger to your children. The very last occupation this creature should have would be in a position of authority over children. Your children are not safe as long as Dorothy Bond is employed in any position in education anywhere. Don’t wait until one of your abused children takes their own life. At that point it is too late. Rid your selves of this woman, she is injuring your children and if only a little of the reports are true she is placing your school district in serious jeopardy of litigation on the Federal level. Save your kids and fire this woman ASAP.
This is a perfect example of how lies can be spread to ruin someone’s life and reputation. I personally know Principal Bond and know that she would never say the things that are being reported. She has been educating our youth for 40 years because she loves kids and wants them to have a bright future.
The fact that so many people are quick to think the worst and petition for her to be fired without ever considering that the source of the information is actually the problem is a glaring example of the breakdown of today’s society. You should start by asking questions and not determining guilt. The world is full of people that have grudges and are looking for an opportunity to act on them.
I implore each of you to take a moment and think of how easy it would be to have someone report that you have said something or done something terrible that you didn’t actually do. How would you feel if this petition were mistakenly and erroneously aimed at you.
The most ironic part of this, is that the website where you are posting this negativity is call the Truth Wins Out. This is in no way the truth.
Interesting A. Walker. She resigned. That hardly sounds like a defense of an innocent person.
@Wayne Bensen she did nothing wrong!!! News reporters got word from people who don’t even go to the school. Why would they do that. She is a loving and caring person. she is known to well to even let such words come out of her mouth!!!!It’s interesting how people can turn things around so quick and yet don’t know what in the world they are talking about.
If she really said all these things to students (especially during a public assembly), then she really should be working at a private school, not a public one. I’m glad she resigned.