Former Teacher Has Certificates Suspended For Speaking Against Sin Of Homosexuality On Facebook

christiannews.net

"NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Education has suspended the teaching certificates of a former high school teacher who came under fire seven years ago for speaking against the sin of homosexuality on Facebook.

As previously reported, Jenye 'Viki' Knox, 56, first came under fire in June 2011 after she posted comments on Facebook decrying the promotion of the homosexual lifestyle Union High School.

The school had reportedly erected a display in acknowledgment of 'Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Month,' which featured popular homosexual celebrities.

'It’s still there,' she vented on her personal Facebook page. 'I’m pitching a fit.' 

The status then began to spark discussion, which turned into a controversy when others were offended by her comments...

Knox... defended the Bible’s position on homosexuality when others challenged her status.

'God cannot abide, tolerate, accept, go along with sin...' she responded. 'Everything God has created, Satan has perverted, everything! Sin is sin. Wrong is wrong.'

Knox had also allegedly made comments on a post from a fellow teacher, who stated that they planned to start a 'gay-straight alliance' at the school.

'Well, if I knew UHS was going to Hell in a handbasket before I know it for sure now!' she wrote.

A disturbed parent of a student then contacted an attorney, who wrote to the school district to ask that Knox be terminated for her 'hateful' comments.

Although Knox explained that her posts and comments were private and not meant for public viewing, administrators decided to place her under an official investigation. The investigation then turned into the lodging of tenure charges, specifically 'unbecoming conduct.' She was suspended without pay.

Knox, who had been teaching for 20 years, decided to retire under disability pension instead of facing a hearing about the matter. She also filed a federal lawsuit, contending that her First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion had been violated. The suit has since been settled, but under a confidentiality agreement.

'These Facebook posts that she made were done on her time, at her home, after school hours, on her home computer, and it was addressing a matter that could arguably be of big societal concerns,' attorney Demetrios Stratis told NJ.com.

However, the New Jersey Department of Education sought to revoke her three teaching certificates, a decision that Knox appealed to the Office of Administrative Law.

'After the teaching certification matter was transmitted to the Office of Administrative Law for hearing, Knox presented a proposal to the board in which she would agree to a three-year suspension of her certificates. Knox did not admit or concede the truth of the allegations in the Order to Show Cause,' the State Board of Examiners wrote in an Order of Suspension, dated Dec. 8, 2017."