Last week, we asked you to support Loudoun County Public School teacher Byron “Tanner” Cross after the school board placed him on leave for saying he would refuse to recognize and sanction transgenderism by using pronouns that don’t fit the biological make-up of students.
In a few short days, AFA’s petition supporting Cross has reached over 51,000 signatures.
The Leesburg Elementary teacher addressed the regular LCPS monthly school board meeting about the district’s pro-transgender policy. He told the board,
I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it’s against my religion. It’s lying to a child, it’s abuse to a child, and it’s sinning against our God.
Two days after telling the school board he would refuse to “lie to [students] regardless of the consequences,” the school announced Cross had been put on immediate leave from his duties as a physical education teacher.
Cross immediately filed a lawsuit against the school board and the Virginia 20th Judicial Circuit Court ruled that Cross’ First Amendment rights were violated by the school.
The court said,
Upholding constitutional rights serves the public interest. Affirming the unconstitutional action taken against [Cross] which has silenced others from speaking publicly on this issue, serves the public interest. The public’s knowledge that [Tanner’s] speech was permissible, is encouraged and is free from governmental oppression serves the public interest. Governmental bodies being held in check for violating a citizen’s constitutional rights, serves the public interest.
This is great news, as the court has once again ruled a Christian’s right to express their view, although unpopular with liberal-led factions, is a protected right under the First Amendment.
We thought you’d like to join us in thanking God for this great victory.
Please continue to pray for Mr. Cross and the many other Christian teachers who face these types of adverse conditions in public schools all across our nation.
