A North Carolina elementary school is facing backlash after parents discovered a transgender music teacher was educating students while wearing a dress, causing a bitter divide.
Middle Creek Elementary School in Apex, near Raleigh, went back to school on July 30, where students were met with a new music teacher, who is a ‘transgender biological male, who dresses as a woman,’ State Representative Erin Paré said in a statement.
At a school board meeting on Tuesday, many parents said they were unaware of the new hire, with many finding out via social media, after popular creators, such as Libs of TikTok, posted about the teacher.
The news bitterly divided parents over whether or not the educator should be allowed to wear clothing items, such as dresses and skirts, during school hours.
Paré is also calling for a mandatory dress code for public school teachers, which would include ‘requiring gender-appropriate professional attire,’ she said.
However, the Wake County School Board said implementing a new dress code would be unconstitutional and discriminatory.
‘Enforcing gender-differentiated clothing requirements based on traditional gender roles constitutes impermissible sex stereotyping under the Constitution,’ Board Member Chris Heagarty told parents.
‘So can we all come together, respect the law, and work on how we can all come together and fund our kids’ education?’
Heagarty said the district is ‘following the guidance of the United States Constitution and our US courts system,’ which dictated that school dress codes ‘must be gender neutral and non-discriminatory.’
Many parents and board members spoke in support of the teacher, including board member Jennifer Job, who accused parents of using the educator to propel their political agenda.
‘People online and in this room are willing to sacrifice this person’s love for their job for their culture war,’ she said at the meeting.
Many parents and community members said the addition of a transgender teacher promoted diversity, and attacking the educator was only showing children to discriminate based on appearance and identity.
‘We have a responsibility as a county to serve students of all diverse backgrounds and their families,’ Anna Crollman, who formerly taught in the district, said at the meeting, according to The Observer.
However, some parents have formed a coalition called Middle Creek Parental Rights, which is led by Aaron Driver and his wife.
The group is demanding the school release the hiring records for the transgender teacher and said parents should not have found out about the educator via social media.
He said young students have come home with ‘big questions’ about gender identity.
Hellbound and Down 