In 2010, teacher David Weston revealed he was gay during a school assembly at Watford Grammar.
Weston made the decision to come out after undergoing a liver transplant. This procedure helped him recover from an illness he had been suffering from for years and he wanted to help make a difference to other people.
The teacher was inspired by the film biopic Milk which focuses on the first openly gay politician in the US, Harvey Milk. Harvey told his friends to come out because the more people that do so, the less people will be “afraid”.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, David said: “The reason I did the assembly in the first place was as a reaction to a four-year illness with a rare liver condition which meant I needed a transplant. While I was recovering in hospital I decided I had to make a difference.
“Everyone at the school was so supportive and there was a positive reaction”.
Recently, a former pupil contacted him to say his speech had made a difference and David shared the email on his Twitter page.
I came out as a gay teacher in a whole-school assembly in 2010. Today, 4 years later, I just received this email. Wow pic.twitter.com/Wdgzo4n3lf
— David Weston (@informed_edu) August 12, 2014
David then emailed the student to say thank you and received this response:
“David, I am overwhelmed with happiness at the response that this message has received – but let me remind you that it is your courage which people are picking up on, not my small act of kindness. I am overjoyed that your assembly is receiving the recognition it deserves”.
David has since left teaching to set up his own charity, the Teacher Development Study, which aims to help children in life and study.
