Updated Thursday 7:23am with a statement from UoM dean of education
A couple has withdrawn their children from a government primary school after they discovered their son’s new teacher was gay, a fact they claimed went against their “personal Christian” values.
Sources told Times of Malta how the couple reached out to staff at St Clare College Primary School San Ġwann on Friday to inquire about their son’s new Year 3 teacher.
The couple said the new teacher was a man who carried a bag with a rainbow flag on it and told the school that while they respect everyone, they are a “conservative family” and did not like the idea of children mixing with people “who are not straight”.
The parents decided to transfer the children to a “more suitable” environment.
The school - which serves a student population with diverse cultural backgrounds - told Times of Malta it was not willing to change the teacher and that the parents are now trying to send the children to another school.
Times of Malta spoke to the teacher, Stefan Vassallo, who said he has been in the profession for a decade and this was the first time he was judged as a teacher based on his sexuality.
“In reality, you are always walking on eggshells, as you never know if there are people or parents who might judge you,” he said.
While the 32-year-old described himself as very vocal on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in education, he finds himself continuously “toning down” his personality out of hesitation that a parent would complain.
“I am lucky that I feel safe in this school, and my headmaster and staff support me, but what happened last week hurt me and I am tired of this pain,” he said.
Vassallo never met the parents, but after the incident he wrote a letter pouring out his feelings on the issue.
“The belief that children should be kept away from LGBTQ+ individuals is deeply harmful – not only to the segment of society being excluded but also to the children who are being forced to internalise such stigmatising views,” he wrote.
The belief that children should be kept away from LGBTQ+ individuals is deeply harmful
“Framing this as ‘protecting the children’ does not make it any less damaging either. Teaching children to fear, exclude or dismiss a group of people is not protection – it is an attempt to blind them to the diversity and complexity of the world around them, keeping them in the dark and limiting their ability to develop the empathy and respect they need to thrive.”
'This sense of ignorance brings fear to others'
In the letter, Vassallo also addressed how the parents’ comments for a more “suitable environment” triggered a sense of shame in himself.
“A sense of shame that I grew up with and battled for years, but that I am now well-trained to handle and overcome,” he wrote.
“I ask you to become more aware of the harm you are perpetuating and putting out into the world. I like to believe that this harm is not intentional, but it is high time that you recognise its effects.”
He said that, as a teacher, it is his duty to provide a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all his students, regardless of their identities or backgrounds, and that his beliefs and personal life should never interfere with his responsibility.
“I have known of cases where a teacher had a rainbow in her classroom and parents complained to have it removed. This happened just last year. Unfortunately, this sense of ignorance brings fear to others.”
He said LGBTQ+ inclusion in education is often misunderstood.“It’s about normalising diversity, including various family structures – like single-parent families, same-gender families or extended families – so children grow up with empathy and understanding and the ability to combat stereotypes and prejudice,” he said.
He ended his letter by noting how all children and educators deserve an education system that “empowers them to grow and succeed in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment”.
‘We are a Christian family’
Speaking to Times of Malta, the mother said she decided to transfer her children due to “personal reasons”.
She said her children also witnessed other children “kissing” in the playground, and it made them uncomfortable.
While she never met or spoke to the teacher, and did not doubt his professionalism, she said she did not accept him to teach her children.
“I accept his personality, and what he wants to do in his life, but I do not want him to be the teacher of my children,” she said.
When asked why she decided to transfer her children, she said the “school knows why”.
“This is my reason. We are a Christian family, and I believe my children need a healthy environment,” she said.
'Person's sexual identity does not impact profession'
Several - including MPs, political parties and unions - reacted to the incident on Wednesday morning.
Among them, Education Minister Clifton Grima thanked the school for how it handled the situation.
"The question I ask myself, both as a minister and a father... is: do we have the necessary tools for children to reach their potential?
"Any other question is superfluous and the replies do not impact our children's educational journey," he said.
Equality Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg said the incident reported by Times of Malta was the reason why she always said there was still much more to be done to eliminate such mentalities.
"Every parent wants what's best for their children, but I will never understand how the identity of a person can impact their profession."
MP Rosianne Cutajar added her voice to the criticism: it was "absurd", she said, that in 2025 there were still those who perceived gay people as some danger to society.
"The irony is that parents who withdrew their children from the school 'to protect them' do not realise that such a drastic decision could leave a negative psychological impact on them as they will now have to start everything anew, make new friends and get used to a new environment," she said.
Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said she was "shocked" by the report and its implications.
"This is not the sort of society I believe in. We need to continue fighting for these rights, because the moment we stop doing so is the moment we risk losing all we achieved," she said.
ADPD expressed solidarity with the headmaster for standing up to the parents, noting that discrimination based on sexual orientation was illegal.
Prejudice, the party said, remained strong and could only be eliminated through education.
The Union of Professional Educators called the situation "absurd".
"It is disheartening to see professional capabilities overshadowed by personal identities. We believe a teacher's qualifications and abilities are independent of their sexual orientation.
"A teacher's competence, dedication, and passion for fostering a positive learning environment should be what truly matters," UPE added.
The General Workers Union expressed solidarity with the teacher and praised the school principal for taking a strong stance against the parents' request to remove their child from the class due to the teacher’s sexual orientation.
What had happened, it said, showed that some parents were actively denying their child the opportunity to interact with diverse individuals and were instead perpetuating harmful stigma.
The union stressed that “discrimination or prejudice based on gender or sexual orientation is not only unethical but also illegal.
'Troubling precedent'
On Wednesday night, University of Malta faculty of education dean Colin Calleja expressed his "unequivocal support" for the teacher, whom he described as "responsible, professional, and committed to his work."
Stressing that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community "in no way diminishes a teacher's professionalism, capability, or dedication to their role", Calleja said that "to equate his [the teacher's] sexual orientation with a lack of safety or morality is a deeply harmful misconception that perpetuates baseless prejudice."
"It is imperative to emphasise that being gay does not correlate with being abusive or unfit for teaching", he said.
Calleja added that allowing parents to take their children out of school on such grounds "sends a damaging message that prejudice and discrimination are acceptable," calling the move a "troubling precedent".
The MGRM and a group of NGOs in a joint statement also expressed solidarity with Stefan Vassallo and their gratitude to St Clare College Primary School in San Ġwann for standing by him.
"When children interact with teachers from diverse backgrounds, they learn empathy, acceptance and the importance of respecting everyone, including their peers or their educators. The National Curriculum Framework itself upholds such values; to encourage children and teachers to work together and learn from each other, and to help children to regard social justice and solidarity as key values in the development of Maltese society," the NGOs said.
They said that it was worrying that parents isolated an educator because of sexual orientation since students and children who were in the coming out process may have self-doubt and personal anxieties as a result. This may lead them into thinking that they deserve exclusion and isolation when all they need is love, understanding, guidance and intensive support.
"Teachers like Mr Vassallo, who have dedicated their lives to guiding and inspiring students, should be valued for their professionalism, commitment, and expertise — not judged by their sexual orientation. Such actions go against the principles of equality and respect that our education system must uphold. While religion is a personal belief and choice, it should never be used to discriminate against individuals, including professionals, for aspects of their identity that are intrinsic and not a matter of choice," the NGOs said.
The statement was signed by Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM), LGBTI+ Gozo, Checkpoint Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Aditus Foundation, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), Drachma LGBTI, Drachma Parents, Men against Violence, Lawyers for Choice, Women’s Rights Foundation, Young Progressive Beings, Women for women Foundation, Humanists Malta, Doctors for Choice and Parents for Choice.