Virginia School Board Appeals Order to Reinstate Teacher

A Virginia school board is appealing a judge's order to reinstate a teacher who was suspended after saying he would never ''affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa,'' and that he would refuse to use a transgender student's pronoun if it did not match their birth certificate.

A spokesperson for Loudoun County Public Schools told the Washington Examiner that the district is appealing the ruling to reinstate physical education teacher Byron ''Tanner'' Cross, who was placed on administrative leave May 27 and prohibited from stepping on school grounds and from speaking at school board meetings. He filed a lawsuit against the school system's head officials at the beginning of June, claiming that his freedom of speech and freedom of religion had been restricted.

Loudoun County Circuit Judge Jim Plowman granted Cross a preliminary injunction to reinstate the teacher until Dec. 31 or until the lawsuit concludes. The school indicated in mid-June that it would appeal the decision.

''Leesburg Elementary School and Loudoun County Public Schools experienced — and continue to experience — significant disruption since the May 25 School Board meeting during which Cross addressed the board,'' the district wrote in a statement at the time. ''Many students and parents at Leesburg Elementary have expressed fear, hurt and disappointment about coming to school. Addressing those concerns is paramount to the school division's goal to provide a safe, welcoming and affirming learning environment for all students.''

Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian group that focused on free speech cases representing Cross, told the Examiner that its client's suspension was unconstitutional.

''Public schools have no right to suspend someone simply for respectfully providing their opinion at a public meeting,'' senior attorney Tyson Langhofer said in a statement. ''The school district wants to force Tanner to endorse its ideals and shut down any opposing views. That violates the Constitution and laws of Virginia, and so did the school's move to place Tanner on leave.''

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