StoryCorps NTI: John Byrne and Samantha Liebman

From: StoryCorps
Series: StoryCorps
Length: 01:50

Teacher John Byrne talks with his former student, Samantha Liebman, about coming out to his students. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: StoryCorps NTI: John Byrne and Samantha Liebman
From: StoryCorps

Byrne_small Early in his teaching career, John Byrne was very strict, because he feared his students would find out he was gay.

Here, Byrne tells one of his former students, Samantha Liebman, how he eventually came out to his 10th-grade class.

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Piece Description

Early in his teaching career, John Byrne was very strict, because he feared his students would find out he was gay.

Here, Byrne tells one of his former students, Samantha Liebman, how he eventually came out to his 10th-grade class.

Broadcast History

NPR Morning Edition 6/24/11

Transcript

John Byrne: I would make the kids line up before they came into class, and then they would stand by their desks and I would say, "You may sit down when I sit down." They said, "Good morning, Mr. Byrne." I was very strict because I was afraid kids would discover I was gay.

I'm an English teacher. You know, you're teaching literature, and some gay scene or character would come up, and I would start to blush. I was always frightened… until one year I decided to march in the St Patrick's day parade. Because they refused to let the gays march and I thought, "I've got to take a stand." So I went and marched with them.
And the next day I went to school, and the kids said to me, "Where you were you yesterday? It was St. Patrick's day, you were drunk!" I said, "I was not! I was marching in the parade." And they said, "Well, who were you marching with?" and I said, "The Irish Gay and Lesbian Or...
Read the full transcript