Cupertino elementary school teacher placed on leave over classroom gender conversations

In the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD), a teacher at Dilworth Elementary School has been placed on administrative leave following parental complaints regarding her discussions about “gender identity” and expression with her students aged 4 and 5. 

Parents claim the teacher hung graphic photographs inside the classroom showing males wearing skirts. The teacher mentioned identifies as “nonbinary” and uses pronouns “they/them.” A concerned parent told NBC Bay Area that the teacher crossed a line, as “we believe the content in the poster and conversations between the teacher and the young students is not age appropriate.” She added that 4-year-olds are not ready for advanced discussions about gender topics and has since pulled her child from the school. As part of a Thursday school board meeting, the considered a new policy allowing teachers to discuss certain topics that “shall be suitable to the age and maturity of the students.” “What is a controversial issue? Because that is not defined in the Board policy,” said Superintendent Stacy Yao. 

The CUSD confirmed to NBC Bay Area that the teacher has been placed on leave. It stated that it “cannot comment on personnel matters involving staff” but “took immediate steps to investigate these concerns, and the investigation is still pending.” Impressionable young children should focus on learning counting, spelling, state capitals, and countries—not on their teacher’s LGBTQ agenda. 

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