Catholic Principal Apologizes Over 'Poor Role Model' Ellen DeGeneres

Because school used celeb's image on dance invitation
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 21, 2014 6:15 PM CDT
Catholic Principal Apologizes Over 'Poor Role Model' Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres hosts the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2014, in Los Angeles.   (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Let's see, Ellen DeGeneres likes to dance, and she also likes to host the Oscars. So it kind of made sense when an elementary school near Philadelphia sent out invitations for an Oscar-themed dance innocently adorned with photos of the celeb. Except: The school is Catholic and its principal remembered belatedly that DeGeneres is gay and thus a "poor role model" for students, reports Philly.com. Nancy Matteo of St. Andrew's school in Newtown issued an email of apology to parents asking for "every single invitation" to be returned so she can "personally destroy them."

"A role model, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is a person who is unusually effective or inspiring in some social role, job, position, etc.," she wrote. "This does not describe her at all. We work so hard to be good role models and then I go and do something stupid!" The LA Times, lamenting in its headline that "you can't be happy in Iran, you can't be gay Pennsylvania," suspects that Matteo is going to regret this move far more than the original invitation. (More Ellen DeGeneres stories.)

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