A moving speech from student, Hugh Mac Neill, to a former Sacred Heart Cathedral teacher, Abi Basch. Hugh gave this speech during a recent California Assembly hearing about teachers’ rights. Unfortunately Abi, an LGBT teacher is leaving her job at SHC because of concerns about Archbishop Cordileone’s proposed changes to teachers’ contracts and to her work as a teacher and LGBT ally.

Hugh and Abi have consented to sharing this information.

Best wishes, Abi! ‪#‎teachacceptance‬

Hugh’s speech

Hi everyone, my name is Hugh Mac Neill, and I’m gay. Next year I’m going to be a senior at Sacred Heart Cathedral High School. This past year has been a rollercoaster, with Archbishop Cordileone attempting to take away teachers’ rights by labelling them as “ministers,” and also condemning me and my community as “gravely evil.” I wrote this speech both to tell you the importance of teachers who are LGBT allies, but also as a goodbye letter to a teacher who has been one of my biggest role models.

Dear Ms. Basch,
I’m not exactly sure how to tell you this, or where to start. But I suppose I have to start somewhere. I was sitting on a Caltrain to Palo Alto. I had recently received my schedule for next year, and was ecstatic to find that you were going to be my government teacher. While I hadn’t gotten the chance to have you as a teacher yet, I felt as if you had been menntoring me for months. You had proofread my Teach Acceptance speeches, helped me draw posters for rallies, and talked to me about college. You were a person I could trust, and I could say, with confidence, that you were on my side.

I know that you had been under pressure from the Archdiocese because of your public support of LGBT students. I understand the risks you were taking, but I never realized how much your leaving would affect me until I found out you weren’t coming back next year. And when I was trying to put together something to say, I kept thinking, “This doesn’t feel like I’m saying goodbye to a teacher, it feels like I’m saying goodbye to a friend. An ally. Someone who would stand up for me.” As you can see, I’m still having a little trouble letting this go because that relationship meant — and means — so much to me. Whatever I’ve said, or attempted to say, these last few days seemed to be imcomplete.

So I think I’m finally ready to say goodbye. I hope that you spread all the joy, empowerment, and hope at your new school that you have shared with my school. You have given our school and our community so much. You have given ME so much. Without you, I wouldn’t be standing here right now giving this speech. I hope that this becomes a symbol of why students NEED teachers who will support them — no matter their sexuality, their family structure, or their conception.