THE Education Authority (EA) is under pressure to eject DUP board member Nelson McCausland after he publicly promoted an account supporting gay conversion therapy.
The former Social Development minister said he was sharing "important insights into the whole 'gay movement'" when he circulated the story of someone who claims to have been a gay man in Hollywood working in the fashion industry until he "met Jesus."
The article described the man's "successful" gay conversion experience.
It provoked calls from Alliance and SDLP elected representatives for him to be removed from his post on the EA.
Chair Barry Mulholland insisted "personal comments or social media posts made by any member of the Authority cannot be taken as a reflection of the position of the wider EA Board".
"Equality, diversity and inclusion is central to everything EA do and we are committed to working to support staff, children and young people to overcome the barriers to full inclusion and participation in society and to ensure that all feel welcomed, safe and valued."
Along with the chair - who is appointed by the Education Minister - it has 20 members `nominated by a range of interests', with political members nominated by their party.
Appointments are coordinated by the Department of Education.
Within hours of his post more than 700 people had signed a petition calling for Mr McCausland's resignation.
Alliance councillor Eóin Tennyson, who is openly gay, shared an emotional statement on Twitter describing the "devastating impact this ex-gay nonsense has on young LGBT+ people".
"Being gay is not a disease, it can't be cured. 'Gay conversion' has been consistently discredited and denounced. It has absolutely no basis in scientific fact.
"It's clear you've never been 11-years old, crying yourself to sleep at night praying to be `cured' because you've internalised the nonsense."
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite added: "There can be no excuse or 'conscientious' objection - it is inconceivable that a board member of the NI Education Authority can advocate for conversion therapy. Nelson McCausland must resign."
Alliance assembly member Andrew Muir challenged DUP leader Arlene Foster, citing her 2018 statement: "I want to acknowledge the contribution of the LGBT+ community in NI".
He pointed out that Mr McCausland was nominated by the party and called on her "to act", saying "conversion therapy is evil and dangerous and should be banned".
More than 370 religious leaders from around the world last month called for a ban on the controversial programme which attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly promised to ban the practice, describing it as "absolutely abhorrent".
