Jonathan Zeng says he was offered a job with Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy teaching music at their downtown location, the Armleder School, but because of his sexual orientation, wasn't hired.
Zeng claims that before he was officially hired he had to meet with the head of the school and the board for final approval.
He said a board member called him back in for a meeting to talk about religious questions on his application. "In those answers I talked about Christ's unconditional love and I talked about how we as followers of Christ, are ultimate goal is to show that love to everyone without judgment," Zeng said.
During the meeting, Zeng claims he was questioned about whether he was a homosexual. "I was shocked and surprised," he said. Zeng asked why he was being asked the question.
He says the administrator said it was school policy not to employ teachers who are homosexual because of the work with children and the sanctity of marriage. Zeng was offended and hurt by the comments.
He told administrators he was homosexual and claims he wasn't offered the job because of it.
Needless to say, the Human Rights Campaign isn't sitting on their laurels over this.
Cincinnati includes sexual orientation and gender identity in their non-discrimination protections. However, HRC respects that Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, as a religious school, is exempt under the law. But that doesn't make their action morally right. Polling last year found that 86 percent of Christians believed the very tenets of their faith compelled them to support protections for LGBT people under the law. HRC and Equality Cincinnati are calling on members and supporters to contact the CHCA administration and Board of Trustees, urging them to do the right thing and hire the most qualified candidates for open jobs – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sadly, under both Hamilton County and Ohio law, CHCA is completely within their rights to do this as a religious private school. It just makes them complete assholes is all. We'll see how Mr. Zeng's story works out.
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