This is in response to the article concerning allegations against Penticton teacher Miko McGrady.
My name is Brenda Mann. I was a student of Miko’s in high school class before graduating this past year. I was surprised to see so much controversy concerning him.
Throughout the school year with him he always had a positive attitude towards students and was always available for extra help or concerns with school work — for his class and others alike.
I found him to be a friend as well as a role model. He taught my elder sister in both high school and middle school and she has never had any complaints about him. I myself am a young lesbian and have never felt threatened or discriminated against by him. He never once made offhand comments. I joke about it myself and he would chuckle along with myself and the rest of the class, but I was never ostracized or mistreated.
So it concerns me that his career is being brought into question for this. Society is more open than it used to be. There is an obvious difference between a joke and homophobia, having dealt with both in my experiences.
These accusations are a misinterpretation and have been blown out of proportion. If the board is this concerned with his teaching abilities, by all means, sit in with a class. You will see why his past and present students adore him, and support him so firmly.
Brenda Mann
Penticton