Seventh-grade literacy teacher Lucas Kaufmann told The Des Moines Register he resigned from his position on Saturday after he was placed on administrative leave.
Kaufmann, who taught at Winterset Junior High, caused concern by having students take a survey with the following question:
“Imagine you are in your ideal relationship. What does your partner do to make you feel loved? Check all that apply.”
Here was one of the potential answers.
Kaufmann had reportedly told students in his classes about his bisexuality and included a gay pride flag in a PowerPoint presentation.
Kaufmann told the Register he was not resigning instead of being terminated and added that school officials told him termination wasn’t an option.
Rather, Kaufmann claimed to resign to make sure students weren’t distracted and to protect his own mental health and well-being.
In addition, Kaufmann told the Register the public backlash has been an “enormous burden.”
