Lynn school board severs ties with Gordon

LYNN – School Committee members voted 4-3 to cut ties between the public schools and Gordon College, citing the Wenham college “expressed intent to discriminate” in its hiring practices against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.The close vote Thursday came after an hour-long debate and reflected audience views in favor of severing ties with the college and speakers, including Gordon employees, who said the cut will hurt Lynn students.Committee members Charlie Gallo, Patricia Capano, Maria Carrasco and John Ford voted to end the public schools’ relationships with Gordon.”In Lynn, we have a policy of non-discrimination. It’s not about their beliefs; it’s about practices,” Gallo said.Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and committee members Rick Starbard and Donna Coppola voted to sustain the relationship with Kennedy, calling for a compromise between Gordon and the School Department.Superintendent Catherine Latham recommended the committee cut ties with Gordon.Committee members and even some supporters of continuing ties between the two institutions leveled criticism at Gordon President Michael Lindsay, who – according to a “personal message” bearing his name on the college website – was one of several Christian leaders who signed a letter to President Obama in July seeking a religious exemption from federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act language: specifically language referencing policies on hiring gays, lesbians, transgender people and bisexuals.”We have never barred categories of individuals from our campus and have no intention to do so now,” Lindsay wrote in the online message referencing the Obama letter.Val Buchanan, Gordon’s community engagement office director, acknowledged “hurt and anger caused by our president’s letter” and unsuccessfully urged the committee to allow Gordon students to sign “non discrimination” statements prior to working with Lynn students.She said Gordon students have a long history of mentoring local public school students, and Coppola praised Gordon for working with the school Department when “many colleges haven’t worked to build ties with us.”But Ford said he would only change his vote to cut ties with the school if Lindsay “is removed by saner people.””It’s very important to send a message to a gentleman who said discrimination is OK,” Ford said.Paul Miller, who described himself as a gay man and former Gordon admissions officer, suggested the committee accept sensitivity training as a compromise short of cutting ties with the college.But Stephen Harrington, a Lynn resident and executive director of the North Shore Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth, said Gordon practices “institutional prejudice.””It’s not always seen; but it’s always felt,” he said.Buchanan said she does not “tolerate any discriminatory hateful practices” and urged committee members, prior to the vote, to “avoid punishing Gordon students” by continuing a relationship with the college.But Lynn teacher Sheila O’Neil reminded the committee, “discrimination is discrimination.”