Just yesterday, we introduced a story about the beating of a gay couple at church with some observations about conservative Christianity and the shameful intolerance towards gays still found in rural America.  Sorry to say, we have another disgusting example of that reality.

Chris Sigler is a 17-year-old student at Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, Tennessee.  Concerned about the bullying of gay students, Chris and some of his friends were interested in starting up a gay-straight student alliance (GSA).  The idea did not go over well with the High School Principal, Maurice Moser.

As we have reported in the past, (It’s Not “Christianity” It’s Just Hate; Let’s Treat It As Such!) in many conservative school districts, any recognition of gay students is often frowned upon as giving legitimacy to homosexuality.  Let’s face it folks, it’s easier for simple people to deny facts of life they don’t like then to evolve intellectually.

In spite of Moser’s position, to his credit, Chris Sigler wasn’t about to give up on starting a GSA.  So Chris had the unmitigated gall to wear a T-shirt to school affirming his support for at a Gay Student Alliance group at Sequoyah High School.

T-shirt worn by 17 year old Chris Sigler that provoked a physical attack by his principal

When Moser got wind of Sigler’s T-shirt, he forgot he was an educator and principal and went into gangster-mode:  He found the classroom that Sigler was in, and ordered all the students except Sigler out of the room.  Sensing something dangerous was afoot, Sigler’s courageous sister who was also in the room, refused to leave her brother behind.

In the next few minutes according to Chris and his sister, his principal grabbed him by the arm, repeatedly shoved him and pumped him in the chest while shouting: “WHO’S THE BIG MAN NOW?”   When Chris’ Mom arrived at the school a short time later, she found Moser “in her son’s face”  verbally bullying him.

The Sigler’s have filed a complaint against Moser with the Monroe Country Sheriff’s Department.  The ACLU of Tennessee has written  a letter to the school district demanding that Sigler’s right to free-speech be protected.

While you are certainly welcome to share you reactions to this story in the comment section below, you may also want share your thoughts with Maurice Moser himself:
Maurice Moser, Principal moserm@monroe.k12.tn.us
Office:
(423) 442-9230
(423) 442-2383

WBIR Video Report on this incident