School Superintendent Comes Out Under Threat From Christian Group

Source: The Advocate



BY TRACY E. GILCHRIST
SEPTEMBER 19 2018 12:54 PM EDT

A school superintendent came out during a dramatic school board meeting on Monday in Beaver, Penn. Carrie Rowe's announcement followed a Christian group demanding her resignation for “allegedly firing Christians to push a homosexual agenda,” according to Pennsylvania’s The Times.

“I’m gay,” Beaver Area superintendent Carrie Rowe announced during the school board meeting. “I wanted to say that straight away because it’s likely the reason many of you are here tonight.”

Rowe was placed in an untenable position by former Beaver councilman Luke Berardelli, who held a rally in support of reinstating Beaver Area High School principal Steve Wellendorf. The former principal was placed on leave in August for reasons that remain unclear. Berardelli claimed that Rowe fostered a “toxic” culture and targeted members of a Christian Youth Group, with which Wellendorf is associated.

“I have worked in education for 20 years and in that time, I’ve never addressed my personal life because [being gay has] never been relevant to my job,” Rowe said as she came out publicly to avoid being outed in retaliation for Wellendorf’s being placed on leave. “To be honest, it’s still not relevant, however, there is a very vocal minority in this community who have decided to take my sexuality and use it as a cudgel against me.”

Read more: https://www.advocate.com/youth/2018/9/19/school-superintendent-comes-out-under-threat-christian-group