‘Right now it’s toxic’ Supporters fill Kirkwood School Board meeting in solidarity with transgender teachers

By Jon Kipper

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    ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — Over 100 people donning red shirts showed up to the Kirkwood School District meeting Monday night in protest of how they believe the district handles transgender educators.

One teacher said that they chose to quit teaching in that district because they couldn’t be openly transgender.

“Right now, it’s toxic for transgender people in the Kirkwood school district,” said Hollis Moore.

Hollis Moore loves their job teaching gifted students at Kirkwood schools.

Moore uses they/them pronouns and identifies as nonbinary.

When Moore started teaching, they said they weren’t allowed to tell students they were nonbinary.

“I didn’t have anything I could say. And could you imagine a teacher going ‘I just can’t answer that,” said Moore.

They say they filed a discrimination complaint and eventually, they were allowed to tell students they were transgender, until earlier this year. According to Moore, the policy flipped back, and now they said the job is now nearly impossible.

“I’m a trans person. My title is Mx. I’m not clearly a boy, or clearly a girl in these kids’ eyes,” said Moore.

So Moore is now quitting the district at the end of the school year, and according to them, two other trans teachers are being forced out, which led to the board meeting Monday night.

“You have solidified a harmful and unsafe place for everyone by denying these identities,” said one speaker in support of trans teachers.

Trans advocates filled a school cafeteria in solidarity with trans teachers. They filled the entire public comment period.

“You need to use your power to communicate to people unquestionably that you are pro-queer and pro-trans. You have that power,” said one speaker in support of trans teachers.

Kirkwood schools told News 4 in a statement that they cannot address specific claims related to staff but do comply with policy and the law.

They also said they allow everybody in the school to use the pronouns that they want to go by.

“In Kirkwood schools, we value the identities of each individual who enters our schools and remain committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces for staff, students and families. That includes honoring the dignity of individuals through respecting the titles and pronouns of our staff, students and family members,” said Kirkwood Schools.

As for Moore, they’re going to take a break from teaching, and when they return, it won’t be in this state.

“And so when I do get back in the classroom it’s not going to be in the state of Missouri,” said Moore.

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