Teacher Reportedly Forced To Resign For Not Letting Boy Use Girls' Bathroom
A New York teacher was reportedly forced into early retirement after not allowing a boy to use the girls' bathroom.
The beloved educator, known as Mr. C, had been a gym teacher and tennis coach for 37 years. But he resigned from the Elmira Heights Central School District last week after receiving backlash for not allowing a trans-identifying male kindergartner to use the girls' restroom, according to WENY News.
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When asked if the school board could confirm or deny the incident, Superintendent Michael F. Gill said, "We do not make comments about any students or staff circumstances."
However, at a school board meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28, Mr. C was the main topic of conversation. During the meeting, more than a dozen people signed up to speak during the comment portion — some defending Mr. C and others condemning him.
"This is disgusting and heinous," one speaker said. "You, as teachers and as staff have a responsibility to make this school and this district a safe place for this student, and by allowing such actions to take place, you have failed. This is not the first time that this has happened and it most likely will not be the last, unfortunately."
Another speaker said: "We as educators need to provide a healthy environment for our kids. All of our kids. Every single one, to live as their authentic selves, that's what most important as educators."
I would think educating would be what's most important for educators, but OK.
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Several parents, though, came to the defense of Mr. C — saying he did the right thing to protect the privacy of female students.
"Public schools should not be promoting publicized views of sexual orientation and gender identity to their students," said one speaker.
Another said: "It comes down to the fact that women should be safe in women's restrooms, men should be safe in men's restrooms. It doesn't matter whether you are male or female, the opposite sex should not, and I mean should not coexist in the bathrooms. Have the unisex bathrooms for the safety of the ones who identify however they want to identify."
(Getty Images)
A private Facebook group, called Elmira Heights Parents, has now amassed more than 1,400 followers, as of Monday afternoon. The group's administrator, Amy Brewer, said she's not speaking out to attack the child. Rather, she's protecting the rights of all female students being asked to sacrifice their safety and privacy at the throne of gender ideology.
"I will keep saying this is NOT about an elementary student that poses no threat," Brewer wrote in a Facebook post. "This is about the BIG and LONG-TERM door this opens to the possibilities of situations this allows!"
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Concerned parents and former students have started a GoFundMe as a retirement gift for Mr. C.
"Because he has been such a positive influence in my life, I’d like to honor him by raising funds to help him celebrate this milestone," the fundraiser's organizer wrote.
The Elmira Heighs school board is set to meet again Wednesday.