Xanthi teacher sued for homophobic material

Anti-racist and anti-homophobia groups including the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and Athens Pride, have joined forces in filing suit against a teacher of religious education in Xanthi, northern Greece, for distributing homophobic material.

According to the lawsuit, the instructor, who works at a senior high school in Xanthi, handed out leaflets to pupils which used terms such as “disorder” and “disease” to refer to homosexuality, while claiming that homosexual behavior “provides fertile ground for pedophilia.”

The leaflet allegedly claimed that gay people are more likely to develop an addiction, suffer from depression or attempt suicide.

Meanwhile, the case was to be discussed by the town’s secondary school teacher union (ELME).