It feels like the progressive thing to do.
I believe "feels" is the operative word. As opposed to say, thinking.
And that comes from having a belief that "tolerance" is always good.
I do keep coming back to South Parks "Death Camp of Tolerance" episode - but this event is the closest yet.
Slightly edited summary lifted from Wikipedia:
Finally promoted to teaching fourth graders, Mr. Garrison realizes that getting fired for being homosexual could allow him to sue the school for millions. He decides to perform outrageous sex acts in the classroom when he takes over for Mr. Mackey, hiring his partner Mr. Slave as his teaching assistant. Although the boys complain about Garrison's inappropriate activities, their parents mistakenly think their boys are intolerant of homosexuality.
However, despite their thoughts about that, the adults bring the boys to the Museum of Tolerance to learn about tolerance of minorities or those with different life choices, though they hypocritically attack a nearby smoker with verbal abuse.
Garrison, annoyed that no one has complained about his actions, steps up his campaign to get fired by shoving Lemmiwinks, the class gerbil, into Mr. Slave's rectum, an act called gerbilling.
The boys mention their discomfort to Chef, the only adult who believes them, who in turn reports Garrison's actions to Principal Victoria, but ends up being sent to a "tolerance seminar". Stan, Kyle, Cartman (who still has Kenny's soul trapped inside him) and Butters refuse to attend class, so their parents send them to an Auschwitz-like "tolerance camp"
Back at the Museum of Tolerance, Garrison is to receive the "Courageous Teacher Award" for overcoming adversity. Still frustrated at not being fired, Garrison goes all out at the ceremony in an extremely flamboyant and stereotypically gay manner. Although the parents finally understand what their kids were telling them about and are indeed shocked at Garrison's behavior, they still cannot bring themselves to criticize it, as they fear being branded "intolerant". When the people continue to call Garrison and Mr. Slave "courageous" for their actions, Garrison finally breaks down and shouts at them, saying that "tolerating something does not mean that you have to like it". He goes on to say that tolerating his homosexuality should not mean that he can do things which are obviously inappropriate in front of his students and begs to be fired so that he can collect on a discrimination lawsuit, but Principal Victoria says that she has a "better idea".
It is possible that this teacher is trying to do a Mr Garrison, although I doubt it. Not expecting any sort of similar breakdown.