Florida teacher doesn't understand why it was a bad idea to out one of her students as a lesbian

A middle school instructor allegedly asked preteens to reveal their sexuality but thinks her suspension is unfair

Published June 12, 2015 6:16PM (EDT)

  (<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-69090p1.html'>Philip Lange</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>)
(Philip Lange via Shutterstock)

A Florida middle school teacher has been suspended from her job without pay after allegedly outing a female student and asking another boy if he was gay. She doesn't seem to see a problem with any of it, except for the part where she lost her job.

Kelly Hendrix, a longtime teacher at Southside Middle School in Duval County, Florida, is under investigation by school district officials for allegedly calling students derogatory or homophobic names, and in more than one case inquiring about the preteens' sexuality. By way of defense, Hendrix has fired back by saying she remembers asking one student about his sexual orientation, but it was because he was being bullied. Via WFOX:

"I called the boy outside and I said to the boy, I said, 'What's going on?' And he said, 'Kids are calling me gay,' and I looked at him and said, 'Well are you gay?' And he said, 'No,' and I said, 'Well why does that bother you?' Simply like that," Hendrix explained.

The district also said Hendrix told a student's father his daughter was a lesbian. District police investigated and didn't find anything criminally wrong.

While Hendrix's suspension is apparently related to the bullied student she mentioned, more troubling is the fact that the school district reportedly confirmed the teacher outed another student after an investigation it opened in April. According to written statements from several students, Hendrix asked them "uncomfortable" questions such as, "Are you gay? How do you know you’re not attracted to the female body?" She also allegedly revealed details about her own sex life, telling one student "that she kissed and had sex with another female teacher."

Hendrix claims, however, that district officials never interviewed her and that she didn't quite understand the issue. "They've never even met with me and told me what I've done wrong," she said.

(h/t Raw Story)


By Jenny Kutner

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