An Indiana high school teacher refuses to call a student by their transgender name. Now school administrators are forcing him to resign.
According to ABC News there is a policy at Brownsburg High School in Indiana that forces teachers to call students by their transgender names, opposed to their names on their birth certificate. Orchestra teacher John Kluge refused to comply and took a stance for free speech. Instead he used the student's last name, not even the first name they have abandoned. As a result, administrators came down hard on him.
"I feel the compelled speech of forcing a teacher to take a side on this very highly controversial topic is a violation of our First Amendment rights," Kluge said to ABC affiliate WRTV.
Brownsburg High School in Indiana
According to Kluge, he was forced to either follow the policy, resign or be terminated. He submitted a conditional resignation and pulled it back. At that point, a school district claims the resignation was already accepted.
Per Daily Wire:
"I enjoy being the orchestra teacher at Brownsburg," Kluge wrote in a statement. "It's unfortunate that the administration is not letting me come back and that they are unwilling to continue a reasonable accommodation that most people consider to be very common sense."
The administration claims to have complied with state and federal laws. The Brownsburg Community School Corporation also has a rule stipulating that a student can use their preferred name only with a letter from a parent and a healthcare professional.
LGBTQ activists celebrate the firing and say Kluge's attitude contributes to suicide rates.
"Showing a lack of support for transgender youth is what drives up the suicide rates of transgender youth in Indiana," said Chris Paulsen, executive director of the LGBTQ organization Indiana Youth Group.
It's not like the teacher was calling the student by their given name they have moved on from. Instead he opted for using the last name, since he was obviously not calling a student by a name they created on their own. Doesn't seem too crazy to me.
Then again, the tolerant left is only tolerant when you are in line with their ideas. Now this qualified teacher is on the unemployment line for standing up for his freedom of speech rights.
Check out some of the reactions on Twitter:
Hoosiers:
Brownsburg High School Orchestra teacher John Kluge needs our help. The administration will fire him if he does not get on board with the transgender agenda.
School board meeting - June 11
Full story & link to send message to board members:https://t.co/oXMDbK9a5l— IN Family Institute (@indianafamily) June 5, 2018
What "It appears that the real intolerance at Brownsburg High School lies in the hands of the administration against teachers who hold a sincere faith and a sacrificial love for their students"
— Fries and Roses (@stephen_m_w) June 6, 2018
“Former Brownsburg High School orchestra teacher John Kluge said the Brownsburg Community Schools policy goes against his religious beliefs and violates his constitutional rights.”#Indiana #Brownsburg https://t.co/x5DARmEM48
— IND Progressives (@INDprogressives) June 7, 2018
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