Provo-Based English Language Learning Center Fires Employee for "Homophone" Misunderstanding

This is an interesting piece. It's a bit old news, but worth posting here. If you're sending your children to study at any language institute, please make sure the head of the language institute knows one of the most basic features of language. Or at least his/her vocabulary is slightly above average. Trust me; it's not too much to ask!

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By Savannah O'Leary  
July 2014 |  Lifestyle
From: www.bustle.com


Here is the latest in American horror stories: in an ironic and totally ludicrous turn of events, Tim Torkildson, a social-media specialist for a private Provo-based English language learning center, was fired after a misunderstanding when his boss failed to comprehend the difference between “homophones” and “homosexuality.”

Torkildson wrote a blog on the school’s website explaining homophones — words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and mean different things (allowed vs. aloud, their vs. there, eight vs. ate.) He was immediately called into the office of his boss, Clarke Woodger, who expressed frustration that the school was now going to be “associated with homosexuality.” Sounds like Woodger is caught up in his own little mess of homophonia.

Aside from the revolting notion that an employee could be fired for promoting a gay agenda, it is outrageous that Torkildson was not given a proper chance to explain himself… and that the head of a language institute doesn’t know what a homophone is. This case is a reminder to all of us that closed-minded lunatics still plague the educational institutions in this country.

Let us all pray for the future of this language learning center, whose president clearly has a lot of learning to do himself.