GRESHAM — An elementary school principal in Gresham has been told he’s out of a job after 10 years, and his lawyer says he’s being ousted because he got divorced and revealed a few years ago that he is gay.
Supporters of Tom Klansnic showed up at a school board meeting Thursday night in pink T-shirts in protest of the decision. They came from an anti-bullying campaign he initiated.
Officials of the Gresham Barlow School District said they couldn’t comment because it’s a personnel matter.
During his seventh year as principal, Klansnic and his wife divorced.
He revealed to family and friends that he is gay.
Before that, the suburban Portland district had twice renewed his contract without performance complaints, said his lawyer, Judy Snyder.
Afterward, his supervisors dramatically changed their treatment of him, Snyder said.
“He’s had a great deal of difficulty getting specifics as to what he has failed to do to meet performance expectations," Snyder said.
She said she has filed documents with the district that say he’s considering a discrimination suit, and he will finish out the year as principal at North Gresham Elementary School.
