Virginia high court rules for teacher in transgender debate

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Supreme Court of Virginia has upheld a lower court ruling that ordered the reinstatement of a northern Virginia gym teacher who said he won’t refer to transgender students by the pronouns they use. Loudoun County Public Schools appealed to the state Supreme Court after a judge ruled that the school system violated the free speech rights of teacher Tanner Cross by suspending him after he spoke up at a school board meeting. Cross, a teacher at Leesburg Elementary, cited his religious convictions when he told the school board at a public meeting that he would not use the pronouns used by transgender students.