On this glorious day I keep thinking about a related day in Newton’s recent history and want to share while simultaneously plugging Legendary Locals of Newton and one of its subjects.
Here’s the profile from the book:
David Gaita, First Grade Teacher Came Out to Class
Before gay marriage was legal anywhere in the U.S., before gay and lesbian characters were regulars on television sit-coms and dramas, Burr Elementary school teacher David Gaita came out to his first-grade class.
Gaita did not know that he was going to make national headlines when he walked into his classroom on May 17, 2000. While teaching a lesson on biographies, Gaita answered a student’s question directly, telling the children that if he had a boyfriend, he would be a man. A conversation ensued, at the first-grade level, about what it meant to be gay.
Gaita sent a letter to parents advising them of the discussion, and Principal Cynthia Bencal informed the rest of the school families. Some parents were angry that they had not been warned beforehand in order to prepare for discussions with their children, but most supported Gaita.
The story hit the Boston Globe and almost immediately, made national headlines. Superintendent of schools Jeffrey Young spoke with the radio, television and print media, always expressing support for Gaita. Mayor David Cohen was equally supportive.
The reaction wasn’t all positive, though. One local radio station conducted a phone-in poll about whether Gaita should be fired. Gaita received death threats and hate letters from around the country, and, locally, vandals slashed the tires on his car.
The first graders kept learning and stopped using the term “gay” offensively, according to Gaita, who continues to teach first grade at Burr. (Photo courtesy of David Gaita.)
What Dave did that day was brave. And what’s amazing is that for the incoming class of first graders, any teacher in any state can do what Dave did.
Too bad there isn’t a “Like” button on this one.
This is one of those occasions where we hope Newton is fulfilling its reputation as diverse and welcoming. I would be curious as to follow-up now that some years have passed.
Thanks, Gail. It is hard to believe this was such a big deal 15 years ago, when today David and millions of other people in America can marry the person they love in every state. I remember meeting the lawyer in the Goodridge case in 2003 that legalized same sex marriage in Massachusetts, Mary Buonato, and asking her how long she thought it would take. At the time, I think she told me it would be another ten years or so. And I recall I didn’t think that was possible.
We were thrilled to have David Gaita for both of our boys at Burr School. One of Newton’s finest educators…a legend indeed.
One thing I do recall from that incident was how quickly Mayor David Cohen came to this man’s defense and how consistent his support was for him during the following weeks and months. I know that David’s praises are rarely sung on this blog; but that kind of unqualified support for a vulnerable public servant at the beginning of the 21st century was courageous and inspiring. It reflected something solid about his personal character that kind of got lost in the latest stages of his time as Mayor.
And another thing related to David Cohen, this time as a State Representative; I’ve always been puzzled at how many people in Newton still buy cases of bottled water when the stuff that comes out of our tap from Quabbin is cleaner and purer than any kind of bottled water currently on the market. Again David Cohen had a lot to do with this. He was Chairman of the House Committee that put together a timely and ambitious plan for turning back development and surface and ground water pollution that was contaminating the Wachusetts Reservoir Watershed which was the critical half way point on the pipe route between Quabbin and the Boston area. He garnered tremendous respect within Mass DEP for the personal way he worked with affected communities, homeowners and businesses in the watershed to make the controls a reality. I was working at Mass DEP on a detail from EPA at the time. I remember how highly he was regarded and how many thought I was lucky to have him representing Newton.
@B0b: You are absolutely right about David Cohen and his support for Dave Gaita. The same can be said of Jeff Young.
David was, and is, one of my heroes 🙂
Thanks for sharing David’s story. I’m so glad he had such support and that he’s still teaching first graders giving them a great way to start their education.
David Cohen also presided over Newton’s first gay wedding, which was held in his office.
But, of course, while Newton had David Gaita, we also had Brian Camenker.
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I like David Cohen. He’s a nice man, and was an excellent legislator, but very weak mayor. There is only one hero to this particular story, and that’s David Gaita. I’d go so far as to call Mr. Gaita an American hero, because his action was historic and resonated nationwide.
Gaita was a teacher, armed simply with his own words. Cohen on the other hand, held true power through the mayor’s office. On any day after he was first elected to lead Newton, David Cohen could have walked into the office of the City Clerk, and instructed him to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. That’s what [then] San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom did. In New Paltz, New York, Mayor Jason West faced criminal charges after personally officiating 25 same sex marriages in defiance of state law.
These men, Gaita, Newsom, West, are all truly heroes. David Cohen had a chance to be a hero too. But for lack of vision, lack of resolve, or simply a lack of political courage, Cohen sat on the sidelines while the real heroes changed America.
Greg has reminded everyone that Mayor Cohen presided over “Newton’s first gay wedding.” It’s important to put that action into proper context. The truth is that Mayor Cohen never married any same sex couples until after the Mass. Supreme Court made it fully legal to do so. After the Court’s ruling effectively legalizing same sex marriage in Massachusetts, there was a waiting period before the new law went into effect. Cohen refused to issue same sex marriage licenses until the waiting period expired.
@Mike: I know you are big on asking our elected officials to break laws they (or at least you) don’t agree with. That’s one approach, although put me down for being on the side of changing laws I don’t agree with.
Mike Striar, many of the attorneys and activists who worked on various same sex marriage cases in different states which led up to last Friday’s historic Supreme Court ruling would disagree with you. In their opinion, what the mayor of San Francisco did back in 2004 actually set the movement back in California and the rest of the nation by prompting opponents to get same sex marriage bans passed in a whole bunch of states, including California. It was pure grandstanding and not only jeopardized the movement, but may also have helped George W Bush win re-election by getting out the anti-gay vote. Worse still, it put those same sex couples who married in San Francisco in a legal limbo that, until the law was struck down by a circuitous, convoluted, and costly path through the state and federal courts right up to the Supreme Courts of California and the United States.
What David Cohen did was to follow the law, not grandstand, and give the City of Newton’s imprimatur to same-sex marriage by having the courage to allow the first wedding in Newton to take place in the Mayor’s office. If he had jumped the gun on the SJC’s order, it would have, at a minimum, plunged the city into costly litigation. More importantly, it would have ignited a controversy that might have jeopardized the subsequent effort to defeat a constitutional amendment that would have overturned the Goodridge decision and banned same sex marriage in Massachusetts. That constitutional amendment went down to defeat by a very slim margin as you may recall. If some loose cannon Mayor or Municipal Clerk had gone out and issued marriage licenses to same sex couples before it was legal to do so, it could easily have turned the tide in the wrong direction.
As a native Californian,I totally agree with Ted Hess Mahan’s analysis of Mayor Newsome’s action which was perceived by many to be a calculated political act for the purpose of futhering his personal ambitions.His action was unexpected,costly to litigate,and it will be interesting to see how history records it.Having said that,this was a glorious week for the expansion of the
definition of civil right,as well as the protection of housing discrimination law.
@Greg and Ted–
Today, Gavin Newsom is the Lt. Governor or California, frequently mentioned as a future presidential candidate, and many [including myself] consider him an American hero. David Cohen is where…? The people have spoken!! People want leaders who stand for something. Leaders who are willing to put their own necks on the line for justice. That’s what leadership is all about!
Greg, I’ll remind you that the “law” once allowed slavery too. And there were laws against interracial marriage. Laws against same sex marriage were no different then those laws. All morally repugnant. Some people want to wait for the lawmakers to fix oppressive laws. Laws that were passed by those same legislative bodies in the first place. Or they want to wait for the courts, in many cases filled with judges appointed by those lawmakers. When the law is unjust, I’m proud to stand with the lawbreakers. If folks want to criticize mayors like Newsom and West for “breaking the law,” go right ahead and do it. In my opinion, they are heroes… and David Cohen could have been a hero too.
I seldom post back-to-back comments. But this exchange has been bothering me since Monday night. I know that if I had been in Mayor Cohen’s place, and a same sex couple sought a marriage license from the City of Newton, then complained to me that they were not being issued that license, I would have walked right into the City Clerks office and ordered him to issue it. So I’m left with this question for another former mayoral candidate…
@Ted– If you had been Mayor in 2004 and a same sex couple asked you to issue them a marriage license, would you have refused?