Salem Kills Contract with Gordon College Over School’s Stance Against Antigay Regulations

In response to Gordon College President D. Michael Lindsay’s recent actions in support of an exemption from federal regulations that bar employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, Mayor Kim Driscoll sent a letter to President Lindsay Wednesday notifying him and his Board of Trustees of the City’s termination of their management contract of Old Town Hall due to the institution’s non-compliance with the City of Salem’s fully LGBT-inclusive Non-Discrimination Ordinance.

The termination is also a response to current policies at Gordon College that require strict adherence to behavioral standards for students, faculty and staff that are discriminatory towards LGBT individuals, city officials said. 

“I am truly disappointed in the stance you have taken, which plainly discriminates against the rights of LGBT individuals, both on and off campus,” said Driscoll in the letter to President Lindsay. “These actions fly in the face of the City of Salem’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance, which prohibits our municipality from contracting with entities that maintain discriminatory practices."

Driscoll went on to write that "While I respect your rights to embed religious values on a private college campus, religious freedom does not afford you the right to impose those beliefs upon others and cannot be extended into a publicly owned facility or any management contract for a publicly owned facility, like Old Town Hall. Moreover, I hope you realize how hurtful and offensive these 'behavioral standards' are to members of the greater Salem LGBT community, some of whom are Gordon alumni, staff and/or students.”

To ensure a smooth transfer of management, the city said it will work with the current Old Town Hall staff and those involved with the ongoing production of "Cry Innocent!" to mitigate any negative impact on employment and scheduled performances.

“It saddens me to curb our contractual relationship in this manner, despite a long and positive relationship with Gordon College over the years,” said Driscoll in the letter. “However, not doing so would be a violation of our Non-Discrimination Ordinance and even more troubling, allow a contractual relationship between the City of Salem and an institution that enables, and now advocates for discrimination against the LGBT community. As Mayor, I most certainly cannot let that stand.”

On June 20, the Human Rights Campaign – America’s largest LGBT civil rights organization – awarded Salem a perfect score on their Municipal Equality Index for the City’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance and the overall LGBT-inclusivity of the City’s laws, policies and services.