Court Finds For Gay Teachers (Press, 28 March 1985)

On 27 March 1985, the United States Supreme Court delivered a significant ruling concerning homosexual rights, marking its first major case in nearly two decades. The Court determined that state-run schools are prohibited from dismissing teachers for advocating homosexuality. This decision affirmed a previous ruling from a lower court that deemed an Oklahoma law unconstitutional, which had allowed schools to terminate teachers advocating for homosexual rights. The Supreme Court's ruling resulted from a split decision of four-to-four, as Justice Lewis Powell did not participate due to recovery from cancer surgery. Homosexual-rights advocates framed the case as a crucial step in combating discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ+ community. The Oklahoma City Board of Education defended the law by asserting that teachers, who serve as role models for students, might be subject to certain restrictions on their speech. However, a United States Court of Appeals had previously overturned the law, stating that it was overly broad and violated teachers' free speech rights. The contested law had been enacted in 1978 during a national anti-homosexual movement led by singer Anita Bryant. Under this law, teachers who openly advocated for homosexual activity could be dismissed, which was considered unlawful under Oklahoma's sodomy laws at the time. Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights pointed out that President Ronald Reagan had opposed a similar proposed measure in California in 1978, arguing that the concerns about homosexual teachers influencing their students' sexual orientations were unfounded and that the law could unfairly scrutinise every aspect of a teacher's life. Proponents of the Oklahoma law contended that the state's responsibility to foster a wholesome environment for children outweighed a teacher’s right to promote homosexual activities outside of school. This ruling by the Supreme Court is considered a landmark moment in the legal landscape concerning the rights of educators and the broader fight for homosexual rights in the United States, reflecting changing societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ issues.

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