A decision to fire an elementary school teacher from Georgia has been upheld, after she read a children’s book on gender identity to her fifth-grade class earlier this year.

The Cobb County School Board of Education voted 4-3 along party lines to uphold Katie Rinderle’s termination, overruling a tribunal that had said she should not be fired. “The district is pleased that this difficult issue has concluded; we are very serious about keeping our classrooms focused on teaching, learning, and opportunities for success for students,” the board of education said in a statement Friday.

Rinderle worked at Due West Elementary School, in Marietta, Ga., and read the storybook “My Shadow Is Purple” by Australian author Scott Stuart to her class in March.

The picture-book is about a child who reflects on his mother’s shadow being “as pink as a blossoming cherry” and his father’s shadow that’s “blue as a berry,” and says their shadow is purple. Some parents complained, although Rinderle said others had also expressed their support for the lesson.

Rinderle, a teacher with 10 years’ experience, was removed from her classroom and the Cobb County School District accused her of violating the district’s policies on teaching controversial issues, and urged her to resign or face termination of employment. She was issued an official notice of termination on June 6.

Rinderle sought to overturn her firing, and a tribunal of retired educators, appointed by the Cobb County Board of Education, determined following a hearing that although she had violated district policies, she should not be fired.

However, on Thursday the Cobb County School Board of Education voted along partisan lines to reject the tribunal’s decision, with three Democrats opposing the decision to fire her and four Republican lawmakers upholding it.

School district lawyer Sherry Culves, speaking earlier this month at the hearing, argued that “the Cobb County School District is very serious about the classroom being a neutral place for students to learn. A one-sided viewpoint on political, religious or social beliefs does not belong in our classrooms.”

  • @3L54
    -30•1 year ago

    Biological gender yes. But for such young children I think its more confusing than helpful to talk about a gender that is freely chosen by an adult on themselves.

    • Cryptic Fawn
      17•1 year ago

      But for such young children I think its more confusing than helpful to talk about a gender that is freely chosen by an adult on themselves.

      My 11 year old niece just told me that no, it isn’t. I asked her. =) She doesn’t find the concept of gender confusing at all.

      It’s moronic adults that are trying to pretend that it’s confusing that are causing the issues.

      • stopthatgirl7
        7•1 year ago

        Way too many folks think kids are stupider than they are.

        And way too many folks have learned using kids as an excuse works when they want to normalize their bigotry.

        • @[email protected]
          3•1 year ago

          What it really is, is that they’re too stupid to understand simple concepts, but think they’re geniuses. If they, an adult “genius”, don’t understand the concept, then that must mean it is too complex a concept for children, an incorrect concept, or both. The idea of introspection, that maybe they are the idiot and just don’t get it, never even crosses their minds.

          Plus just bigotry for bigotry’s sake, of course. There’s plenty of that going around too, unfortunately.

          • @3L54
            -17•1 year ago

            Well. Here in northern europe 5th graders are 11 years old. So just about to start puberty and very confused already. I just dont think learning about other than biological gender is of any benefit for so young children. Sexual education in itself is ofcourse important.

            • stopthatgirl7
              20•1 year ago

              About to start puberty seems like the perfect time to start teaching kids about gender and explaining the things confusing them. Which is the age the kids in this situation are.

            • Flying Squid
              6•1 year ago

              I’m sorry, but what was wrong with you as a child that things about sexuality were so confusing to you? They were explained to me clearly and I had no problem understanding them.

              • BEZORP
                1•1 year ago

                I didn’t really even think about it at all, since I fit in pretty well. I just ignored it. But I’m cis af, and not everyone is. So I can see the benefit to those people.

                Also I don’t think you remember how arbitrary all the gender norms sound when you first learn them. It all sounds totally unnatural at first.

                • Flying SquidEnglish
                  -2•1 year ago

                  Just because it sounded “unnatural” to you does not mean that is universal.

                  • BEZORP
                    1•1 year ago

                    My point is it’s learned behaviour. Most people just forget the learning of it

    • Uranium3006
      15•1 year ago

      You know what’s really confusing? Feeling Gender dysphoia and not knowing that’s what it is.

    • Flying Squid
      8•1 year ago

      There is no such thing as “biological gender.” You’re talking about sex. Gender is a social construct. That you don’t even know that suggests you’re way out of your element here.