Gay educators ‘voluntarily resigned,’ Catholic school says. WA community is outraged

A Catholic high school in Washington is receiving backlash after two gay educators reportedly “voluntarily resigned” last week.

Kennedy Catholic High School officials claim the resignations were voluntary, according to KOMO News, but many people in the community say they were forced out because of their sexuality.

“Two teachers … have voluntarily resigned their positions at Kennedy Catholic High school,” a Friday statement from the school read. “They are highly capable, gifted, and qualified teachers, who have served our community with dedication and humility. Their loss will be felt deeply by their students and the entire community.”

But many say that isn’t the full truth. English teacher Paul Danforth and girls’ soccer coach Michelle Beattie both recently got engaged to their partners before they resigned, CBS News reported.

“Danforth is no longer employed specifically because he and I got engaged,” Sean Nyberg, Danforth’s partner, told KOMO News on Sunday.

The two got engaged at Disneyland last November, KOMO reported.

“We entered into an agreement to take our relationship to the next level and enjoy the emotional, spiritual, and legal benefits that marriage provides,” Nyberg said in a statement to KING5. “However, in our case, Paul no longer is employed because I had asked him to marry me and he said yes.”

Several others agree that Danforth and Beattie were forced out.

King County Council member Dave Upthegrove claimed the teachers were forced out “solely because they are gay/lesbian,” a post on his Facebook said. Another council member, Joe McDermott, said he is angry that the school “forced the resignations of two respected teachers because they are gay.”

“By forcing the resignations of two teachers over their sexual orientation, Kennedy Catholic and the Archdiocese of Seattle tell young people – especially LGBTQ students at Kennedy – is that being LGBTQ is wrong,” McDermott said on Facebook. “Students see their role models lose their jobs for living authentic lives.”

Many students and people in the community plan to protest Tuesday and are looking for ways to help Danforth and Beattie, KOMO News reported.

A GoFundMe account for the teachers had raised more than $30,000 as of Monday afternoon.

“Two beloved and extraordinary teachers at Kennedy Catholic High School ‘voluntarily resigned’ on February 13, 2020 because of their sexual orientation and desire to live authentically (and legally) married to their partners,” the GoFundMe says. “In the middle of a school year it will be difficult for either of them to find employment immediately.”