Music Teacher Has Job Offer from Cincinnati School Retracted After Admitting He Was Gay
The nondenominational Christian academy Cincinnati Hills is receiving some serious flak today for allegedly rescinding a job offer extended to music teacher Jonathan Zeng because he answered affirmatively when asked if he was gay.
According to Zeng, he had accepted a job at the academy's Armleder School only hours before the offer was retracted.
In a letter to the school board's trustees, Zeng wrote that he was called back to answer some questions after he noted on his application that he believes "in Christ's unconditional love and that we as Christ's followers are to show that love to all without judgment."
Apparently it was his response that "prompted [school administrator David Thompson] to ask if I was a homosexual."
When Zeng asked Thompson why his private sexuality would present a problem for the school, the administrator cited proximity to children and "the sanctity of marriage" as factors in the academy's policy not to hire homosexuals.
"What they did was very painful," Zeng told Cincinnati.com. "I hope that many of their school families and supporters don't feel that way."
The school said in a statement that it would review the matter, but the law is likely not on Zeng's side.
Religious institutions are generally exempt from laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Still, Cincinnati lawyer Scott E. Knox believes a local Human Rights ordinance may help Zeng, though he noted that the penalty is a $1,000 fine at most.
