Approved ~ MJM
Loudoun County Public Schools has been ordered by a judge to reinstate physical education teacher Byron Tanner Cross, who was suspended days after telling the school board he would not refer to transgender students by their preferred pronouns because of his religious beliefs.
In his ruling, Loudoun County Circuit Judge James Plowman said actions taken by the school system were unconstitutional, and that the school system’s handling of the situation was “extreme” and “vindictive.”
Cross, who teaches at Leesburg Elementary School, was placed on leave less than 48 hours after telling the school board: “I’m a teacher, but I serve God first.”
“I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it’s against my religion,” Cross said.”It’s lying to a child, it’s abuse to a child and it’s sinning against our God.”
Cross is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit Conservative legal organization.
In his ruling, Plowman wrote Cross “was speaking as a citizen, not in his official capacity,” as a teacher. The board meeting occurred “during nonworking hours at a forum where public comment was invited.”
The school system, in its filings, and in a Friday hearing, argued it suspended Cross not for what he said, but for the disruption it caused.
The school system said it had received six emails from parents who didn’t want their students to have contact with Cross.
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