By Cleve R. Wootson Jr. cwootson@charlotteobserver.com
Originally published by The Charlotte Observer: Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013
A Taylorsville teacher has been suspended for showing a group of students a music video for a song that supports same-sex marriage.
The video in question is for the song “Same Love,” the fourth single released by Seattle rap artist Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis.
It’s the first song that promotes gay marriage to make it into the Top 40, according to gay rights advocates. It was ranked 13th this week.
Alexander County Schools Associate Superintendent Jeff Peal told the Taylorsville Times: “At West Alexander Middle School, there was an inappropriate video shown in class, outside the bounds of the curriculum that called for disciplinary action last week.”
Peal didn’t name the teacher in the article.
The video goes through the life of a gay man and includes images of him kissing his boyfriend, getting married and lying motionless in a hospital bed while holding his partner’s hand.
According to Macklemore, the song was written in support of Washington state’s referendum 74, which was approved in 2012 and legalized same-sex marriage in the state.
Near the end of the seven-minute video, text flashes that says: “Support Marriage Equality. Approve Ref. 74.”
The video has been viewed nearly 78 million times on Youtube, and was featured as part of the website’s Pride Week.