Teacher Fired for Calling 6-yr-old “Transgender Boy” Student a Girl

A former teacher in Texas has filed a federal lawsuit after being fired for refusing to refer to a six-year-old girl as a “boy”. She claims she is standing up for her religious beliefs and the rights of all the children in her class, not just one. Another teacher who was also fired over the same child is also part of the lawsuit. She stated

"All this story proves is that very small children are being used to push an agenda in this country. How a six-year-old comprehends gender identity issues has, at the very least, to be up for serious debate. Most child psychologists agree that child cognitive development happens in four stages, and it isn’t until sometime between age seven and 12 that kids are fully able to understand logical, rational thought — but that’s only in regard to things they can touch or see. The ability for most kids to be able to reason without dependence on visual or tactile aids comes in the pre-teen years."

Link

I find this a difficult one. Not sure if I am on the teacher or the child's side (putting religion aside). I am a Critical Care RN and spent a couple of years working in Post Anaesthetic Care (PACU) in the private sector. I looked after approximately 50 male to female gender reassignment individuals immediately post surgery. I fully support an individual's choice/right for transitioning.

The child has gay male parents although I am not sure if any conclusions can be drawn from this without further information (I am a gay man btw).

My nephew is 6 years old and to be honest I just don't know if I would be able to get my head around my brother allowing him to go to school dressed as a girl. He would most certainly be bullied. I am not sure it would be in his best interests at such a young age.

There clearly needs to be more research in this area. It would be interesting to find out if any children with gender dysphoria grow out of this phase.

a reply to: deliberator

Well, in good news I'm sure the teacher won't have to work ever again after the lawsuit!

The PC crap is out of control, kids are kids, not critical thinkers of their gender and sexual identity ffs.

Why would she bring religion into a nonreligious situation? She is just setting herself up for trouble. I don't see Transgender issues having anything to do with religion.

6 yrs old and already transgender? i thought people waited until at least after puberty to start deciding whether they really feel like a man or a woman.

A child learns from their environment.

I can see this having huge repercussions of its discovered that this child environment was confusing for a developing mind.

a reply to: deliberator

What religion requires its followers to deliberately single out a 6 year old for public rejection and humiliation?

Disgusting!

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
A child learns from their environment.

I can see this having huge repercussions of its discovered that this child environment was confusing for a developing mind.

I was thinking that maybe if one of the parents is very effeminate and the child is role copying. There is also the possible issue of parental coaching.

a reply to: windword

That is why I said 'putting religion aside'. Rather I was looking at any teacher's stance who have the child's welfare as a responsibility and are against what the parents are doing.

a reply to: deliberator
I'm not thinking it's a parental coaching issue. I think you nailed it with an effeminate parent. Although I was wondering more along the lines of how involved in the drag community this couple may be.

I've seen some gorgeous drag queen that are not gay and not effeminate. But, a child of six doesn't understand things on the same level As this serious topic requires.

There is no way a child of six can think of the consequences for tomorrow. I would like to hope the parents are putting this child first. I also think it could be like parents that want to give their child support they never had and May be unintentionally projecting.

Honestly I don't think anyone had intentional mallace for this child. I think this child needs more attention and understanding ie a child phycologist.

That article and site are very biased.

Let's try other sites:

A spokesman for Children's Lighthouse Learning Centers, which operates franchise locations in multiple states, said by phone Tuesday that he could not comment on matters related to employment. But when pressed by a reporter on whether Kirksey was terminated over her handling of a transgender student, the spokesman said no.

"What's unfortunate here is that a teacher who was fired from a school for a variety of issues decided to call a news station," said the spokesman, Jamie Izaks. "... This teacher had an agenda behind it and was very opportunistic with a recent vote and discussion in Houston."

www.houstonchronicle.com...

a reply to: deliberator

A former teacher in Texas has filed a federal lawsuit after being fired for refusing to refer to a six-year-old girl as a “boy”.

Quieting sitting here remembering the good ole days when we called them "tomboys". Ah, life was simple then.

ETA: removed much of the text because I'm psychic and know where this is going and I don't want to go, please excuse me)

Remember that children this age handle emotional things the way the parents do.
If you say "ah, don't worry about it", like it's no big deal, it won't be.

If you jump up and down, cry and become stressed and angry, so will the child.

Let the child be the child, right now, yes, she's a girl for the moment. A tomboy. She might need a sexual reassignment later on, or maybe not. There is no reason to put a label on this child.

The OP's source for these claims is from an amateur, propaganda-based site.

Slightly more factual, we have this report from KHOU in Houston, TX:

Andy Taylor, the attorney for the two women, called this “a test case of nationwide significance” after he says two former workers were fired from this day care because of their beliefs. However, a spokesperson for the daycare’s corporation suggests the recent controversy around Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance is helping turn what would normally be a routine personnel issue into a nationwide talking point.

Taylor also claims the school came up with unrelated excuses to fire Kirksey and struck out references to the transgender issue in her employment file.

The battle over transgender issues is nothing new to Taylor, who fought the now-repealed Houston Equal Rights Ordinance in court.

[size=3=“There’s not a news story here, there’s someone with an agenda, and that’s what’s happened,” said Jamie Izaks, spokesperson for the corporate office Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers.

Izaks told KHOU he thinks the recent controversy surrounding HERO and the spotlight on transgender issues could be fueling the fire of the controversy.

“This is happening in the crosshairs of a pretty heated discussion in Houston that has nothing to do with a school and its students,” Izaks said.

[emphasis mine]

Also, from TIME Magazine's website:

A Children’s Lighthouse Learning Center representative told the Houston Chronicle that Kirksey’s dismissal was not related to the transgender child but declined to comment further on a personnel issue.

My bet would be that Mr. Taylor is amplifying a cause celebre to benefit his own notoriety and cares nothing about the two employees, the children involved, or anything else. I, however, am an admitted cynic these days.

a reply to: deliberator

My two cents...

- Our son is in Pre-K so I pay attention to kids in the younger age group. While not impossible, I find it difficult to believe that a very young child (in this case a six year old) would be thinking in terms of "I'm a boy trapped in a girl's body."

- My best friend growing up lived a few doors down from me. She was a girl but played rough-and-tumble with the boys. She didn't consider or think of herself as a boy. Remember the term Tomboy? I don't recall that having any negative connotations.

- The article indicates that at times this poor kid was confused herself. Referring to herself as a girl at times, as a boy at others. Using the boys room at times, the girls room at others. To me (based on the limited information available) this wreaks of parents training/coaching and using their kid for whatever social statement they are trying to make. If (and that is a big if) this is the case, the "parents" have a special circle in Dante's Inferno.

I feel bad for the kid and I feel bad for the teacher.

One last note (for people other than the OP)... and feel free to call me whatever names make you feel morally superior to me... if this were my son's class.... and although I don't see the need for the "religious" claim, I would be supporting the teachers decision in the classroom 100%. (The only thing I question is why was this kid able to use the boys restroom or the girls restroom seemingly willy-nilly).

a reply to: deliberator

Just because you dress up for Halloween doesn't mean you are really a witch. You aren't what you dress up as you are what God made you. This is more PC garbage.

Regardless of whether or not this is even in it's proper context, this is an excellent example of how the religious belief argument can be a double-edged sword.

At what point does religious freedom go to a level that is not protected by the constitution?

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: deliberator

Just because you dress up for Halloween doesn't mean you are really a witch. You aren't what you dress up as you are what God made you. This is more PC garbage.

If "God made" everything, he also made the minds and souls of those who have different innate gender identities.

Just because you don't see "God's wisdom" in such matters, doesn't mean there isn't any.

Also, if I may make a personal observation, constantly claiming that different gender identities are equivalent to "playing dressup" in the light of established medical and psychological science is quite insulting to many.

originally posted by: Vector99
[snipped]

What would you like us to take from it?

Is there some greater likelihood of something because his parents are same-sexed?

We don't know all the details of the case, or the child's up bringing. I feel like the case may be dismissed, or call in favor of the teachers. As this is a curious case, and the teachers are right to question the child's ability of full comprehend the choice.

I don't think it is right to deny, but the parents should have talked to the school and had a better understanding on both sides.

originally posted by: TzarChasm
6 yrs old and already transgender? i thought people waited until at least after puberty to start deciding whether they really feel like a man or a woman.

Nah. Many transgender individuals already knew by the time they were 5 or 6 that their bodies didn't match their gender identity. It is just because of how society treats people who are different that they usually hide this in order to fit in.