New Britain Board Backs Lesbian Teacher in Fight Against School Transfer

Relief flooded the face of a New Britain teacher forced to switch schools over her same-sex relationship when the Board of Education unanimously voted to move her back to the elementary school where she has spent the past nine years of her career.

Teacher Stephy Cho said she was "involuntarily transferred" from Jefferson Elementary School after marrying her same-sex partner of six years, who also teaches at Jefferson.

Cho and Alice Badecker, who has been with the school for 13 years, tied the knot in July.

Days later, the New Britain superintendent sent Cho a letter explaining that she would be moved to the Northend Elementary School. New Britain teachers union president Sue Truglio read the letter aloud at a school board meeting Tuesday night.

"While the district supports positive interactions between coworkers, relationships of a romantic nature may have a tendency to interfere with the work environment," Supt. Kelt Cooper wrote in the letter, according to Truglio. "I am concerned that the nature of your relationship could result in claims of impropriety which I would like to protect you from."

Cooper explained that the decision should not be considered punishment and does not reflect Cho's work performance.

"This decision is simply a proactive measure to ensure that our work environment continues to run smoothly and that you can continue your personal relationship without any negative impact," Cooper wrote.

When Truglio asked Cooper if the relationship has caused problems in the past, the superintendent couldn't point to specifics.

"Mr. Cooper says he was concerned the nature of Stephy's relationship could result in claims of impropriety," Truglio said at the meeting Tuesday. "There have been no concerns for nine years, yet as soon as Stephy marries Alice, there is a concern."

Cho said at the meeting her sexual orientation has no bearing on her ability to do her job.

"I am dedicated to the success of students in this district and I'm committed to making New Britain a first-class educational district," Cho explained. "I am also gay."

She said that when a new administration took over at Jefferson last year, she began to feel that school leaders were treating her differently.

"Alice and I have the utmost sensitivity and have not displayed our relationship at all," Cho said. "The involuntary transfer has affected me in many ways. It's impacted negatively on my economic potential to earn extra income, increased my commute, caused unnecessary stress and emotional turmoil."

New Britain's chief human resources officer Bob Stacy told a different story Tuesday night. Stacy said he had "no idea" Cho had gotten married and that the decision to move her had nothing to do with her sexual orientation or relationship status.

"I think people are reading way too much into this. They are presuming there is only one reason this could have happened, and that's just not the case," Stacy said, adding that Cho's salary and benefits have stayed the same. "It's also not a unique situation in a district where people get involuntarily transferred for a variety of reasons."

Regardless of the reason for Cho's transfer, the Board of Education threw her its support Tuesday night, voting unanimously to move Cho back to Jefferson.

"I love my job, I love this district, I love the children I teach, and it is for that reason I am here," Cho said.

But the battle is ongoing. Cho also filed a grievance with the Connecticut Commission of Human Rights and Opportunities, which is currently pending.

"The reasons the administration gave for her involuntary transfer were nonsense," said Cho's attorney, Richard Padykula.

Contact Us