Texas: Parents Rally for Teacher Fired for Being a Lesbian

A high school history teacher and basketball coach was fired last month for what administrators say were "performance issues," but parents at the Life School in Waxahachie, Texas, think it's because the teacher is a lesbian.

Nikki Williams, 26, was replaced by a football coach who resigned in September after a grievance was filed against him. Williams's mother told KDAF News that Life School administrators referred only to the school's code of ethics and standards of excellence as the reason behind Williams's ousting. Administrators have said they will not expunge her firing from her work records.

Dozens of parents are now circulating a petition asking to bring Williams back to school. She was fired October 18.

"I think that her being gay has nothing to do with her coaching skills," parent Tiniqua Smith told KDAF. "She has not tried to push this off on the kids, and I don't feel like that should be a problem."