Kentucky middle school teacher claims he was fired for coming out as bisexual

Nicholas Breiner, a chorus teacher for McNabb Middle School in Kentucky has claimed his contract wasn’t renewed because he came out publically as bisexual. He was a teacher at the school for three years, as well as director of vocal music and head of the theatre department. He shared this sexual orientation on an April 2017 Instagram post in hopes of supporting suicidal LGBT+ students.

“I felt that they needed to know there was someone in the room that understood and supported them, regardless of who they were,” he wrote. As terrifying as it was to admit, I had to value someone else’s well-being over my own privacy.”

Three days later he was called into the Principal’s office, “I was cautioned that ‘we live in a small town.’”

One month after, he was told his contract wasn’t being renewed due to “budget constraints,” though he later found out his role had been filled by a straight woman.

Breiner has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in and filed suit against the Montgomery County Board of Education.  He is seeking reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages, and back pay.