Teacher challenges Ken Hutcherson at school assembly

Posted by NewsEditor  at 9:09 AM (PT)
In: activism, nw_gaynews

Source: PI Big Blog and KING5 News
The Rev. Ken Hutcherson, an outspoken opponent of gay rights who last week launched a stock-buying campaign to try to win influence over gay-friendly Microsoft, is apparently creating controversy again.

The administration at Mount Si High School, part of Snohomish Valley Public Schools, invited him to speak at a Thursday assembly honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

But when Hutcherson was introduced, some people booed him. As he wrote in a message to church members, "One of the sponsors stood up and challenged me during the assembly. Then one of the teachers called a gay newspaper."

Mount Si teacher Kit McCormick, who questioned how Hutcherson can support human rights if he doesn't support gay rights, told KING/5 that she thought the students should know the full story about the leader of the Antioch Bible Church in Redmond.

"I felt like the students needed to know the truth," she said. "He's not about equality for everyone," she told KING/5, "he's about equality for some people."

McCormick is adviser to the high school's gay-straight alliance, according to KING5.

"I felt that I had not been disrespectful," she said. "I asked a question. I felt like this was a moment that that I couldn't stand silent."

Mount Si Principal Randy Taylor told KING/5 he's scheduled a Friday morning meeting with McCormick to discuss the incident, but didn't reveal whether she would be reprimanded.

Hutcherson said in his message to followers: "I have been quiet as a parent, but now the line has been crossed. Pray for wisdom as I deal with this situation!"

Full article: Hutcherson's school assembly invite causes new controversy
MLK assembly turns controversial at Snoqualmie high school | KING 5 (video)

Last modified: 18 Jan 08 09:09

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Comments

Natalie
Natalie
1/20/2008 2:26:26 AM #
I am a student at Mount Si. I could go on, but short and sweet, this is what I think.

Hutcherson may be a political activist, but he never brought it up, and his speech was not meant to address ANY issue of the sort.

Rev. Hutcherson said that he became a Christian because of Martin Luther King Jr. That said MLK was not gay. He was a leader of a church, and followed what the bible has to say when it comes to getting married (that it's between a man and a woman).

The thing is, racial equality and giving "extra" rights to people who are homosexual are two completely separate issues. Leave it to a Language Arts teacher to take two completely different subjects and make them look like the same thing.

The fact is that what McCormick did was out of line, disrespectful to our guest, unprofessional, and mostly just very rude. On a day where we were supposed to be remembering how Martin Luther King changed America for the better, she had to throw her own selfish monkeywrench.

This came to me as such a blatant insult to Martin Luther King and his memory. It was truly uncalled for, and made every feeling of pride I had in MLK feel cheap and worthless.

This of course led to debates throughout the day and people taking sides. By all means, form your opinions, but there were many people who were harassed in school because they were on the side of Hutcherson. So apparently I am allowed to stick up for what I believe in, ONLY IF it's what you believe in? I believe that the issue at Mount Si, which is supposedly "No Place for Hate" is the fact that you aren't able to stand up for what you believe in, unless it is entirely politically correct and eye-pleasing to everyone.

Carrie James
Carrie James
1/24/2008 4:15:40 PM #
It is amazing, and quite hypocritical, to me that the gay community believes a person who has different beliefs than them should not be allowed to speak at a school.  And it was not even about his beliefs, but about something with which he has an extensive background in... racism.  I guess the word "intolerance" does not apply to them
7/11/2009 2:26:20 PM #
A battle in Hutcherson's 'war' likely at Mt. Si school meeting tonight

A battle in Hutcherson's 'war' likely at Mt. Si school meeting tonight
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