A Loudoun County, Va., public school physical-education teacher who says he will refuse to use transgender students’ preferred pronouns will be able to keep his job as his legal case proceeds, due to a ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court.

The instructor, Tanner Cross, has been placed on leave after he appeared at a meeting of the Loudoun County School Board in May and said his religious beliefs preclude him from using the pronouns transgender students prefer.

Backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian nationalist legal group, Tanner sued. Upholding a lower-court ruling, the Virginia high court said the school system must reinstate Tanner as his case goes forward, asserting that he had the right to express himself during a public meeting.

“Cross was opposing a policy that might burden his freedoms of expression and religion by requiring him to speak and interact with students in a way that affirms gender transition,” the court wrote. (Loudoun County School Board v. Cross)

For Nex and all 2SLGBTQ+ students in Oklahoma

Remove Ryan Walters

We are calling for the Oklahoma Legislature to immediately remove Ryan Walters from his position as Oklahoma Superintendent and to begin an investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Education’s policies that have led to a the rampant harassment of 2SLGBTQ+ students.

Sign The Petition