Susan Sarandon, Other Celebs Slam NJ High School Teacher for Anti-Gay Facebook Post

A New Jersey Catholic school teacher is facing a backlash on social media from alumni and celebrities after she posted on Facebook that gay activists "want to re-engineer western civ into a slow extinction," according to reports.

The social media post by Patricia Jannuzzi, who teaches at Immaculata High School in Somerville, has since been deleted, but screenshots of it have gone viral and grabbed the attention of celebrities, including actress Susan Sarandon and former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast member Greg Bennett, MyCentralJersey.com reports.

"We need healthy families with a mother and a father for the sake of the children and humanity!!!!!" Jannuzzi wrote. She also said the idea that gay people are protected under the 14th Amendment is "bologna." 

In response, Sarandon shared a Facebook post by her nephew, who is gay and once had Jannuzzi as a teacher.

"So proud of my nephew Scott and the dialogue he started," Sarandon wrote. "He was responding to a teacher he had at his high school who still believes homosexuality is a learned behavior. High school is a tough time anyway... students don't need teachers making it even more difficult." 

Bennett shared a screenshot of the Facebook post with his Twitter followers.

"I don't think that she should influence the minds of students on a daily basis," Bennett told MyCentralJersey.com.

Immaculata principal Jean Kline said in a statement Thursday morning that the school "takes this situation very seriously."

Kline said Immaculata is "dedicated to creating a school environment that promotes mutual respect and provides a challenging academic program, rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ."

 
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