Change.org: Apologize to Mexico City Teacher for Unfair Dismissal After Showing 'Gay' Film Joseph Pedro - Passport Magazine
go to original January 15, 2013

Sean Penn stars in this biopic of pioneering gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Directed by Gus Van Sant. (trailerhits)

A teacher at a school in Distrito Federal, Mexico has been wrongfully fired for teaching her students about gay rights. She was showing the film Milk to her class and was soon “unjustifiably and aggressively fired.” Read her letter below and click here to sign the petition.

Cecilia Hernandez (Change.org)

    My name is Cecilia. I am an honest professional, hard-worker, justice defender and am faithful to my convictions. I am a clinical psychologist with a wide experience with teenagers. I have been working with youth in different social contexts: psychotherapies, educational orientation, and in classrooms.

    On November 30th, I was the victim of an injustice: I was unjustifiably and aggressively fired from the middle school Colegio Lomas Hill and treated like a delinquent by the school’s authorities. I was deprived of my freedom for two hours, watched over by security guards and humiliated in front of the institution’s staff and students’ families. I have been morally hurt.

    Why was I fired? Because I showed the movie “Milk” to my middle school students. The film tells the story of a recognized fighter for gay rights. The prejudices of the school authorities toward the movie and their intolerance on the gender diversity theme were clear and evident, even if the official program requires approaching these subjects.

    Until today, the school hasn’t allowed me to use my hearing rights. The information they presented to the parents and media was manipulated. Even if the Mexican Anti-Discrimination Committee interceded to mediate a conciliatory process, Colegio Lomas Hill refuses to cooperate.

    We all have personal convictions and in front of a divergent position, we cannot treat the other person in an insulting way, especially when it is in the name of a non-denominational and academic institution. The power abuse from the directors has hurt my integrity and my professional image. For a young professional and human being, it is unacceptable.

    Help me to require a public apology!

    I demand a public apology from Colegio Lomas Hill for my unjustifiable termination. I also demand that the school cooperate with the conciliatory process proposed by the Mexican Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Click here to sign the petition.

Related: Teacher Fired for Showing the Pro-Gay Harvey Milk Film in Classroom

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