LYNN — Five years after severing ties with Gordon College because of the college’s “expressed intent to discriminate” against LGBT people when making hiring decisions, the Lynn School Committee is considering reestablishing the district’s partnership with the school.
The panel’s decision to revisit the partnership, discussed at their meeting Thursday night, has drawn backlash from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the city.
“I’m here to oppose any relationship between Lynn Public Schools and Gordon College because of their homophobic philosophy,” said Beth Garry, a Lynn resident. “I don’t think that’s the message we want to be giving to Lynn Public Schools students.”
Felix Kiene, a junior at Lynn English High School and member of the LGBT community, said the school takes pride in its diversity, which he felt would be taken away if the partnership was reestablished.
“It kind of feels like a kick in the face,” he said. “I hope our city continues to make a stand and stick up for a minority of students already living in fear and oppression.”
In 2014, the School Committee voted, 4-3, to end the partnership, which had consisted of Gordon students providing mentorship to Lynn students.
In its decision, the committee cited the college’s intention to discriminate against the LGBT people with its hiring practices. At the time, Gordon President Michael Lindsay had been one of several Christian leaders who signed a letter to President Barack Obama seeking a religious exemption from the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act language regarding policies of hiring LGBT people.
Although some community and committee members noted the college’s stated policy that “homosexual behavior will not be tolerated in the lives of Gordon community members either on or off campus,” has not changed, vice-chair Donna Coppola said she’s been approached by many people about reinstituting the partnership.
Coppola, who brought the topic up for discussion, is the only remaining member on the committee who voted to keep the partnership in 2014.
Committee member Lorraine Gately indicated she would be in favor of looking into reestablishing the partnership because Lynn students could benefit from it.
“I hope this doesn’t feel like a slap,” she said. “It’s not a slap. I just see a lot of benefits.”
Committee member Jared Nicholson said the district would have to consider how to balance its stated core values of inclusiveness and its policy, which prohibits discrimination, with Gordon College’s religious beliefs and First Amendment rights.
“No one is questioning the ability of Gordon College to have the beliefs that they have on campus,” Nicholson said. “We’re wondering how that intersects with our values as a district, how we’re governing ourselves in the Lynn Public Schools … Whatever happens legally, I think it’s really important for Lynn Public Schools to send a message of inclusivity.”
No vote was taken on Thursday, but Coppola asked Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler and his administration to reconsider the partnership.
Tutwiler said he would look into a university partner to fill the mentorship void left by cutting ties with Gordon in 2014. He said he would look at all North Shore colleges for a potential formal partnership, which would include Gordon.
But if Gordon was ever up for consideration again, committee member John Ford said he would not change his 2014 vote, which was to sever ties.
“I was on a board with a lady who worked on a board at Gordon,” Ford said. “She was fired because they found out she was a lesbian. That’s wrong. I think we have an obligation to support gays and lesbians.”
Gordon College representatives did not respond to a request for comment and no one from the college was present at the meeting.
