Transgender Teacher Sues School Board; Wants To Share Bathroom With Children
Â A male-to-female transgender elementary school teacher is suing her school district after being denied access to the female bathroom facilities. Ronda McCracken, born Robert McCracken, a post-op third grade teacher for Montpelier Public Schools, has filed a civil suit claiming discrimination and emotional damages. Named in the suit are Montpelier Public Schools and Superintendent of Education Marshall Peterson.âUntil this year, Ronda McCracken was employed by Montpelier Public Schools under the name âRobert McCracken.â Over the break, Mr. McCracken underwent gender reassignment surgery and reported in to last weeks Board of Education meeting as a female,â said Principal Richard Belding. âBeing an equal opportunity employer, and in appreciation of McCrackenâs years of service to the school system, Superintendent Peterson informed Ms. McCracken that Montpelier Schools would be glad to allow her to retain the position that she had previously held as a man. The one condition was that Ms. McCracken would refrain from using the womenâs restrooms on school grounds. The Board felt that it would be more appropriate for Ms. McCracken to use the unisex restroom located in the teacherâs lounge. Ms. McCracken seemed to be fine with the decision initially, but later placed a call to the Superintendent stating that she felt she was being discriminated against. She was informed that, unfortunately, the Board could not see fit to reverse the decision for fear of public backlash. Ms. McCracken then filed suit against the Board.âAccording to the Associated Press, when asked about the suit, Ms. McCracken had no problem sharing her opinion.âI just felt like they [Montpelier Public Schools] were discriminating against me for something that was beyond my control. I was born a woman, I just had the wrong equipment. There is a long history of discrimination in this country, and I feel these people need to be held accountable for their bigoted actions. There is no reason, besides unwarranted prejudice, that a woman should not be allowed to use the restroom with other females.âSome of the Montpelier parents had a different point of view. Carl Mitchum, father of two elementary age students in Montpelier Schools,Â shared his opinion withÂ Empire News.âRobert McCracken was born a man. All this gay and lesbian equal rights talk is fine by me, but at the same time, I donât want a grown man winding up in a bathroom with my eight year old daughter. Itâs not safe, and it is a precedent that we can not allow to be set.âOther parents of children at the school were not nearly as kind in their opinions.âI donât want that freak in the bathroom with those poor girls. There is too much risk. If God had wanted a Ronda McCracken, then Ronda McCracken would have been born, not made by soulless doctors. She should have her teaching license pulled,â Said Michael Baxter, a local Baptist minister. âThe Lord will not abide this type of sin.âThe suit is set to be heard before Circuit Judge Jasper Billings on the first of next month.âI just hope this can all be resolved,â Ms. McCracken said. âSure, I had a penis, and sure Iâve had sex with women, but that is no reason to keep me from being in the same bathroom as little girls. Maybe people donât understand my lifestyle, but they donât have to me so mean. The idea that we should tell our children what gender they are is outdated. These people are ignorant bigots. Maybe my vagina is man-made, and maybe I have different ideas about what turns me on, but maybe your daughters do, too. Maybe I can talk to them about it in the bathroom.âÂ