When teachers are agents of the state, they are bound by the restrictions on what the state is allowed to do, being required to afford equal protections to all

When teachers are agents of the state, they are bound by the restrictions on what the state is allowed to do, being required to afford equal protections to all people. While I agree that the people should have a say in what gets taught, and that includes culture, in certain cases that say is (and needs to be) inherently limited. For example, if 90% of people would vote that some 10% minority should have limited rights, they should not (and do not) get a say about that, that minority deserves equal protection from state action no matter what the taxpayers or voters want. And arguably (though the exact details matter) "don't say gay" legislation violates that by having state agents (i.e. teachers and administrators) apply unequal discriminatory treatment to those employees and students who are gay.