When it came time for Nebraska’s Skutt Catholic High School to renew the contract of popular English teacher and speech coach Matthew Eledge, they happily offered him a new term. But supporters say his contract was abruptly terminated when he told school administrators he was engaged to a man.

Kacie Hughes—a former student and Skutt’s assistant speech coach, and the main organizer behind the protest—said the school told him it would fire him on the spot if he disclosed his engagement to students. It also offered to keep him on, if he ended his relationship. (Vocativ reached out to school president John McMahon, but he refused to comment.)

The move has led to outrage within the tight-knit community. Current and former students started a petition on Change.org, as well as Facebook group Let Matthew Teach, and the hashtag #LetMatthewTeach has provided a space for students, and other advocates, to voice the positive influence Eledge has had on their lives.

Though Eledge, 28, won’t speak directly about the circumstances that led to his contract not being renewed—he’s still finishing out this school year—Vocativ spoke with him about his reaction to the support he’s received, and why he’s not quick to condemn the school’s decision.

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Why won’t you discuss what led to your contract not being renewed?

I feel hurt and I feel some pain, but I still respect the school—I’ve been working here for five years. I love the kids and I love the parents and the community, and so, while I want to do the right thing, I want to make sure that this moment isn’t just about me, but what is best for the community. I don’t want to say or do anything that could potentially hurt someone else’s job.

Why would you want to continue working for an institution that would fire you for being gay?

The parents, the kids and the entire community have been supportive and open and embraced me with love. I’ve continued to work there because I have developed some really close relationships. I was born and raised in the state, and I think it gets a bad rap sometimes—rightfully so. But when you grow up here, it’s your home. While there are things that need to be improved, what I like about Nebraska and why I think some people don’t ever leave, is that once you develop that network, they have your back. For me, it’s really become evident with how people have responded to me in this current situation.

What has it been like at the school since the petition started?

My school has become the scapegoat for something much bigger. We’re really focusing on shaming the archdiocese and shaming my school, but yesterday was my first day walking into the building since the petition was released and the media attention started. I was really scared to go into work, and while I’m drained and overwhelmed, I will say that I feel nothing but love from the kids… Yes, this could be a sad story. Yes, I’m a victim. You can play that story, but I think it says something inspiring and interesting about where we are right now, to see the kind of reaction that people are having and how they’re responding.

What is it like to be the poster boy for an issue that affects many employees across the country?

It’s a little bit overwhelming, but at the same time, I can’t not do this. I feel like it’s a moral obligation to do what’s best. My passion is oral communications and speech, using language to change the world for the better, and that’s what I do. I coach kids to speak up when there is an injustice, so it’d be pretty hypocritical to do otherwise when I preach it to my kids.

Your situation has come about at the same time as a national debate about religious freedom bills. What are your thoughts on this legislation?

Now I do look like a hypocrite. I am still currently an employee at Skutt Catholic and I still work for the archdiocese, and I feel that it’s necessary to protect the people around me, as well as the administrators in my school, and to do the job that I’m expected to do. For the moment, I want to respect that and hopefully finish this couple of months, these last few weeks, with grace and integrity.

Some say you have no legal recourse because Omaha’s anti-bias ordinance has religious exemptions. Do you want to challenge this?

At this moment, I’m just going day-by-day. I’m not thinking about those particular issues, although I think they’re fascinating. For me, personally, today I just want to go into the classroom here in a few minutes and do what I’m supposed to do.