Ugh. I think it's questionable whether first amendment protections apply — at least to the extent of his keeping his job — in this case. I would be terrified if I were a high school student and discovered that one of my teachers felt deeply that I "deserved to die." How can it possibly feel to go to class knowing this?

Even if it's not perceived as a direct and imminent threat (which is usually a criterion for the first amendment not applying), it has the potential to create a hostile environment that is antithetical to the learning experience.

I think if the school is truly not going to penalize this teacher, then they need to be open to allowing students to opt for a different teacher. A belief like that is going to be a major impediment to queer kids' education, not to mention their sense of safety.

On another note, I have to say, this article's location needs to be pointed to every time someone says, "Of course they're homophobes. It's [fill in southern state here]." This is California. There are horrible people everywhere and institutions that fail to make the right choice with respect to them.

If the letter was addressed to and published in a public newspaper that would be for, better or worse, a different matter. Teacher writing to an in school student newspaper for attribution and publishing makes it fall under the auspices of the job description instead. IMHO/IANAL etc

Lovely, twisting the Bible to justify their nasty small minded ideas. The book of Leviticus actually speaks against many things. Then Jesus arrives in the New Testament to tell us to love and forgive everybody with no exceptions.

"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."