Gay teachers tell of double life in Ireland

Tell of discrimination towards teachers in church-run schools

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, December 31, 2011, 8:40 AM

Updated Saturday, December 31, 2011, 8:40 AM

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Leo Kilroy, 34, came out as a gay man in his late 20s after leaving his teaching post at a Catholic-run primary school in Dublin’s inner city.

Photo by REUTERs

A Dublin-based gay youth services group called BeLonG says teenagers nowadays are more comfortable about coming out.

"There is a quiet revolution going on out there. The numbers of young people coming to BeLonG to have more than doubled each year for the last three. It's quite phenomenal," Michael Barron, the group's co-founder told Reuters.

Barron works alongside schools to raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.

"Some of the best schools we have worked with have been religious schools but it certainly poses a barrier overall," said Barron,.

"The educational system still has that Catholic legacy and in some cases it's more than a legacy, it's still how things are taught.

"We would know of many gay teachers who aren't out in schools. It is an issue. Those gay teachers could provide vital role-modeling for young people, particularly a young person who is struggling, who thinks they are the only gay or transgender young person in the world," he concluded.

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dibble2008 | Jan 02, 2012, 07:42 AM EST

The church needs to remove its responsibility form education. The state is now the provider of eduction.

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beachcomber | Jan 01, 2012, 02:22 PM EST

That people must live in fear of losing their job based on a part of their life that has NOTHING to do with how they perform said job is pathetic and sad...cuddlybunny is right, humanity is bigger than any religious persecution.

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cuddlybuddly | Jan 01, 2012, 12:56 PM EST

Depressing reality- we owe it to ourselves to fight this discrimination and make sure Gay people are protected by LAW as teachers

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phinsman | Dec 31, 2011, 11:58 PM EST

From what I have read, more than 50% of Catholic Priests are gay... why do they discriminate against teachers of the same orientation?

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faberm1 | Dec 31, 2011, 08:44 PM EST

The quote by Jesus has nothing to do with Homosexuality; it is about divorce. It is a shameful reality that many of these priests who run these schools that are so discriminatory are probably homosexual. Nothing in the Christian faith sanctions bullying and persecution of others.

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SteveMD2 | Dec 31, 2011, 03:45 PM EST

I mighrt add that the way we will break discrimination against gays is to help them come out of the closet............The closet is just a virtual segregation of our gay and lesbian neighbors and friends, by using fear to keep them shut up and making them lie every day about who / what they are. Something that today would not be tolerated for a second if it was used to segregate Irish in America........................... BTW Benedict fairly recently said (not his exact words) let the gays stay in the closet and there will be no need for anti - discrimination laws....... Benedict is simply trying to bring the church back to the dark ages. Time if you go to church to contribute only pieces of paper saying until he goes from the scene, by God's hand or the good leaders in the church, we just give 2 cents (taped to a piece of paper to the church collection plate.

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Murph46 | Dec 31, 2011, 12:01 PM EST

OK to be a pedophile priest ,but not a gay teacher no wonder people are screwed up.

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rugbyplayer | Dec 31, 2011, 09:36 AM EST

To be honest, many R.C. affiliated secondary schools at home and abroad are fully aware of their gay-oriented teaching staff. But teachers are hired because of their credentials and abilities, not because of their outlooks on sex. If the RC controlled schools in Ireland are in fact actively discriminating against gay teachers, then terminate the RC control and not the teachers!

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