A teacher has been placed on leave after he claimed that referring to students by pronouns in line with their gender identity would be "sinning against God".
Gym coach Byron Tanner Cross told a school board meeting in Loudoun County, Virginia, on Tuesday that he "wouldn't affirm a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa".
In an explosive speech he told board members that draft guidelines requiring staff to acknowledge trans children's chosen names would amount to "lying" and "abuse" against young people.
He said he was speaking out of "love for those who are suffering gender dysphoria" and referred to a 60 Minutes' segment about the issue.
"'60 Minutes' this past Sunday interviewed over 30 young people who transitioned but they felt led astray because of lack of pushback or how easy it was to make physical changes to their bodies… They are now detransitioning," he said.
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"It's not my intention to hurt anyone, but there are certain truths that we must face when ready.
"We condemn school policies [that] would damage children, defile the holy image of God.
"I love all of my students but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences. I'm a teacher but 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."
An email sent by Principal Shawn Lacey to parents at Leesburg Elementary and seen by Fox News via the group Parents Against Critical Theory reportedly read: "I'm contacting you to let you know that one of our physical education teachers, Tanner Cross, is on leave beginning this morning.
"In his absence, his duties will be covered by substitute staff already working in our building."
"I wanted you to know this because it may affect your student's school routine. Because this involves a personnel matter, I can offer no further information."
Cross was voicing his opposition to a policy that would require staff across Loudoun County schools to call pupils in elementary school by their chosen names and pronouns.
The school has not disclosed its reasons for placing Cross on leave, but his wife appeared to suggest in a Facebook post that the move was connected to him speaking out.
“We DO NOT CONDONE NAME CALLING or any other speech that does not stand on the truth of God’s word,” Angela Cross wrote on Friday.
“As Americans, we believe that every American has the right to their beliefs, but NO AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO IMPOSE THEIR BELIEFS ON OTHERS.
“We spoke out first and foremost to protect the children and also to defend the first amendment rights of teachers and staff."
The school’s spokesperson Wayde Byard told Fox News that the decision to place Cross on paid administrative leave is not the principal’s.
