Utah Substitute Teacher Escorted Out Of Building After Telling Students Homosexuality Is "Wrong," "A Sin"

ALPINE, Utah — A school district in Utah says that it has taken “appropriate action” against a substitute teacher after she allegedly told students that homosexuality is wrong and sinful.

According to reports, the situation occurred on Nov. 22 at Deerfield Elementary School in Cedar Hills, as a fifth grade substitute teacher asked students what they were thankful for. One mentioned their pet, another turkey and mashed potatoes, and another having a break from school.

When it was 11-year-old Daniel’s turn, he stated that he was glad that he was “finally going to be adopted by my two dads.” The teacher, whose name has not been made public, allegedly spoke on the matter for the next 10 minutes, stating that “homosexuality is wrong” and that “two men living together is a sin.”

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the woman is accused of telling the child, “That’s nothing to be thankful for.”

Three other students expressed their objection to the substitute’s words and reportedly left the room to report the situation to the principal’s office.

The teacher was then escorted out of the building and later dismissed. Louis van Amstel, who is adopting the boy along with Joshua Lancaster, said that the school called him to advise what had happened.

van Amstel, formerly a dance coach on “Dancing With the Stars,” took to social media to tell his followers about the matter.

“As you can imagine, this set us off and we are not letting this go,” he stated. “I am so proud of Daniel’s school. Not only did they let go of the teacher, [but] they said that this woman is never going to teach in this school ever again,” he said.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that van Amstel wants to ensure that the woman is prohibited from being a substitute teacher anywhere in Utah.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous and horrible what she did,” he stated. “We were livid. It’s 2019 and this is a public school.”

David Stephenson, a spokesman for Alpine School District, told the outlet that the district has a non-discrimination policy and it took “appropriate action” following an investigation.

The substitute teacher has since been fired by Kelly Services, the temp staffing agency that assigned her to the school.