LEESBURG, VA – A physical education teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia, in suburban Washington D.C., was placed on paid administrative leave after telling school board members he will not support transgender pupils at his elementary school as the board debates implementation of state mandated policy changes.

During a public comments session of the Loudoun County School (LCPS) Board session last week, Byron “Tanner” Cross told the board that, ” I am speaking out of love for those who suffer with gender dysphoria,” said Cross. He then referred to a broadcast by CBS News programme 60 minutes last week on Tans Health care stressed the portion of the segment which featured some who had “detransitioned” placing emphasis on how “easy it was to make ‘physical changes to their bodies in just three months.

“It’s not my intention to hurt anyone,” Cross said. “But there are certain truths that we must face when ready. We condemn school policies like 8040 and 8035 [LCPS proposed policy changes] because it would damage children and defile the holy image of god. I love all of my students,” he said adding, “But I would never lie to them regardless of the consequences. I’m a teacher, but I serve god first but I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa because it is against my religion- it’s lying to a child, it’s abuse to a child, and it’s sinning against our god.”

His public remarks got him suspended according to the Loudon Times-Mirror newspaper which reported that Cross was placed on paid administrative leave as of last Thursday, according to Loudoun County Public Schools Public Information Officer Wayde Byard in an email to the Times-Mirror.

The paper also reported that Shawn Lacy, the principal at the elementary school Cross teaches at sent an email out last Thursday to parents saying; “I’m contacting you to let you know that one of our physical education teachers, Tanner Cross, is on leave beginning this morning.” The email continued, “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.”

The CEO of Ashburn, Virginia based Discerning the Faith, a conservative Christian non-profit group also located in Loudoun County, posted video on his Twitter account of Cross speaking to the LCPS Board.

Loudoun County School Board just put a school teacher on administrative leave for stating he would not teach LGBTQ because it violates his Christian principles. pic.twitter.com/QCwzIYdNNw

— Michael S. Miller (@imichaelsmiller) May 27, 2021

The controversy arose as the LCPS Board is making public its draft changes to school policies based on Virginia House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161, legislation signed into law last year by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, which reads:

Public elementary and secondary schools; treatment of transgender students; policies. Requires the Department of Education to develop and make available to each school board, no later than December 31, 2020, model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools that address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i) compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws.

The Virginia Department of Education’s model policies regarding the treatment of transgender students in Virginia elementary and secondary schools were made available to school boards last year.