'Where is your regard for freedom of speech?': Parents and teachers slam Virginia school board for suspending gym teacher who refused to let biological boys compete as girls because it went against his Christian beliefs
Parents and staff expressed their outrage with their school board over the suspension of a Virginia teacher who objected to two policies related to transgender students because he said they went against his religion.
Tensions were high as parents voiced their support for gym teacher Byron 'Tanner' Cross on Tuesday at a Loudon County Public School board meeting after he was suspended from Leesburg Elementary two weeks ago following a controversial speech at a school board meeting.
Many who took to the podium said Cross' suspension was a first amendment issue, including mother of three Rachel Pisani, who asked 'Where is your regard for our freedom of speech?'
Jeremy Wright, (pictured) a teacher at the school who previously called the school board fascists, told the school board they needed to refresh their knowledge of the First Amendment
Tensions were high at at a Loudon County Public School board meeting on Tuesday as parents expressed their concerns about the suspension of gym teacher Byron 'Tanner' Cross
Parents and staff took to the podium during a Loudon County Public School board meeting to express their frustrations with the school board
'When I saw a teacher express an opinion and suspended for expressing his religious beliefs, I could no longer stay silent,' she said. 'When did it become acceptable to be tolerant only when someone expresses a view that we agree with? When did it become appropriate to silence those that hold Christian, biblical views just because you don't?'
'When did it become appropriate to allow the school board – I don't know who you think you are – but it is not appropriate, it is not allowable to silence, bully, or dismiss our views,' she added.
Pisani's mic was cut off due to time constraints in place but she kept speaking and received loud applause from fellow attendees, Fox News reported.
Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan requested that the parents use jazz hands, a request that was not honored several times leading to tension and multiple reminders.
Jeremy Wright, a teacher at the school who previously called the school board fascists, echoed Pisani's concerns about free speech.
Wright dramatically left a copy of the First Amendment on the podium for the members of 'Chardonnay Antifa,' his apparent nickname for the board.
'Here is your assignment with a copy of the First Amendment attached,' Wright said as he held up a packet of paper. 'I'm going to leave this here and I hope you learn something.'
Fellow teacher Monica Gill told the board that its suspension of Cross resembled 'totalitarianism, not the Constitution.'
'First and foremost, I am a Christian,' Gill said. 'What is most important? We live in truth, not lies. We look at character, not skin color. We love our lord and we love others. Know this – We will not yield. We will not let you have our souls or the souls of our children.'
One woman told the board: 'Even being threatened with termination for simply speaking one's opinion creates a culture of fear and silence – and this does not help anyone on either side of the aisle.'
Cross was suspended from Leesburg Elementary after speaking out during a school board meeting against policies that would affirm the identity of transgender students
Cross is pictured with his wife. She said they were grateful for the support he received
The school district administration building. They have not commented on Tuesday's ruling
Cross was suspended for thoughts expressed while arguing over two policies put in place by the public school board: one mandating teachers use the pronouns a transgender child identifies with, and one allowing transgender kids to take part in sports with the gender they identify with. The second one also allows kids to use the locker room and bathroom of the gender they identify with.
Cross, in his speech, said the policies 'defile the holy image of God' and constitute child abuse. He also cited a recent 60 Minutes where Leslie Stahl interviewed a handful of young people who had transitioned within months of seeking treatment then regretted it.
During the speech he told the school board he wouldn't "affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it's against my religion. It's lying to a child, it's abuse to a child, and it's sinning against our God."
He was suspended afterwards with just about three weeks left in the school year and the school board said it was investigating his remarks.
On Tuesday, Twelfth Circuit Judge James E. Plowman ordered the school district to restore Cross' job.
'Defendants shall immediately reinstate the Plaintiff to his position as it was prior to the issuance of his suspension and remove the ban that was placed upon him from all buildings and grounds of Loudoun County Public Schools,' a letter from Plowman read.
Loudoun County Public Schools has not commented on the ruling, but Alliance Defending Freedom - which represented Cross - celebrated the decision, tweeting it was a 'massive victory for freedom of speech.'
'Nobody should be punished for expressing concern about a proposed government policy, especially when the government invites comment on that policy,' ADF President and CEO Michael Farris added to Fox News.
'For that reason, we are pleased at the court's decision to halt Loudoun County Public Schools' retaliation against Tanner Cross while his lawsuit continues. Educators are just like everybody else — they have ideas and opinions that they should be free to express. Advocating for solutions they believe in should not cost them their jobs.'
After the ruling, Cross appeared on America Reports with his attorney to praise the decision as well.
'We're so happy,' Cross said during Tuesday's appearance. 'There were lots of tears, lots of hugs - we're just happy we were reinstated and I look forward to going back to serving Leesburg Elementary.'
Despite a large amount of support for Cross, not everyone was against the school board's decision.
One parents took to the podium and asked that adults in charge stop projecting their fears onto their children.
'My pronouns are she/her. I'm here today … not only in support of our school board's effort to improve equity, but to speak directly to our community – asking to stop turning equality into a weapon,' she said.
'We all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' she added. 'The adults bullying our children need to be reminded that if you don't have anything kind to say, don't say anything at all. Stop projecting your fear on our children. This isn't about bathrooms or White discrimination. Hate speech is not free!'
State delegate Jennifer Boyko wore a rainbow pin and mask to the school board meeting and praised the school
'I want to thank you for your commitment to equality and making sure every child feels loved and valued.' she said.
Loudon County, which is home to around 400,000 people, has become a microcosm of issues currently dividing America - critical race theory, transgender rights, gay rights and free speech.
A lawsuit filed last week featured parent allegations that the district engaged in racial and viewpoint discrimination with its 'equity student ambassador' program, Fox News reported.
Parents at the meeting also expressed concerns about the fact that the leader of the district's Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee (MSAAC) proposed punishing teachers if they criticize equity trainings.
Some parents were upset over a secret Facebook group called Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County, which has members who allegedly tried to doxx and blacklist critical race theory opponents, Fox News reported.
Some board members belong to the group and they have been accused of allowing efforts to intimidate critical race theory opponents.
Fox reported that a member of the Facebook group was even censured in relation to her social media activity and was stripped of her committee assignments.
Although the district has denied teaching critical race theory, recent information has raised questions about the role it plays in the district's decision-making, FOX News reported.
