Non-binary South Bay teacher placed on leave over gender-identity material
CUPERTINO, Calif. - Members of the Cupertino Union School District board on Thursday held a marathon session considering possible modifications to district rules that govern gender identity materials and instruction.
"We have about 45 minutes allocated for board policies," Supt. Stacy Yao said, as she gaveled the meeting into session at the closed Meyerholtz Elementary School.
Board members and Yao parsed the weighty issue of when to expose children to gender identity, language and material.
This, after a transitional kindergarten teacher at Dilworth Elementary, who identifies as non-binary, showed students as young as four-years-old, items some parents found objectionable. Others said it’s too early in their children’s school career for such material.
"Sometimes, as a parent, we teach kids to listen to teachers, be nice to teachers in the classroom. But they don’t know if this advice is good or not good. They’re too young to be taught something like that," said parent Jennifer, who requested KTVU withhold her last name.
The district has placed the teacher in question on leave.
In a statement, Yao wrote in part, "The district…took immediate steps to investigate these concerns…The District values the diversity of its community… Used in combination with District-approved curriculum, instructional materials and methods that reflect this diversity play an important part in developing the whole student."
"The teacher wasn’t doing trans instruction. The controversy was initiated (over) a poster," said district resident Keith Newman.
He held a poster produced by the Santa Clara County Behavior Health Services which depicts different types of families with the words "We Are Free to Be" at the top. He said this is what started the fuss.
"If ‘we are free to be’ is controversial, I guess there are people that feel children are not free to be who they are," said Newman.
The board spent considerable time dissecting its policy #6144 which, some argued, is too broad and may allow those with more fringe views to demand equal treatment in regard to classroom exposure.
In an emailed statement, Kate Lee, the president of the Cupertino Education Association wrote in part, "We know that our schools and communities are safer for LGBTQ+ students, teachers and families when inclusive practices are explicitly named."
The CEA would like the board to enact changes to #6144 to specifically protect LGBTQ+ education.
A board spokesperson hasn’t said if the board will move to do so, or how long the teacher in question will stay on leave.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU
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