Natalie Torres, who identified herself as a former educator, supports the policy. At the Jan. 16 meeting, she urged the board to provide clear instructions to educators.
“In my experience, the situation created significant tension as I was navigating policies and expectations that conflicted with my personal beliefs and professional judgment,” she said.
“The challenges I faced then reflect the broader issues we see in classrooms and society today where there is increasing pressure to reference individuals by genders other than what God created: male and female.
I’m so glad this person isn’t a teacher anymore. Fuck her, and fuck every person who voted in support of this despite what their community wanted. I hope these monsters get some plumbing done.
Such a challenge. Like nicknames. How can you remember the nicknames of kids you didn’t know the name of three months before you had first had them in your class?!
In my experience, the situation created significant tension as I was navigating policies and expectations that conflicted with my personal beliefs and professional judgment
Exactly what kind of “professional judgment” does a teacher bring to this situation? Unless they’re being consulted about a puberty issue, a student being transgender shouldn’t make a difference in how a teacher teaches them, right? Or is she implying that being a teacher makes her more knowledgable about gender, somehow?
If she were the school psychologist, I might buy that she has “professional judgment” worth valuing. But for a teacher (especially one who goes on to appeal to religion in the very next sentence), it sounds like weasel words that were tacked on. She probably knew that simply saying her “personal beliefs” caused her conflict would’ve sounded too weak as an argument. So, she put in the empty phrase “professional judgment,” knowing full well that she won’t get called out on it by anyone with power.
I’m so glad this person isn’t a teacher anymore. Fuck her, and fuck every person who voted in support of this despite what their community wanted. I hope these monsters get some plumbing done.
Such a challenge. Like nicknames. How can you remember the nicknames of kids you didn’t know the name of three months before you had first had them in your class?!
She supports it because figuring it out was too hard for her. Wow.
Exactly what kind of “professional judgment” does a teacher bring to this situation? Unless they’re being consulted about a puberty issue, a student being transgender shouldn’t make a difference in how a teacher teaches them, right? Or is she implying that being a teacher makes her more knowledgable about gender, somehow?
If she were the school psychologist, I might buy that she has “professional judgment” worth valuing. But for a teacher (especially one who goes on to appeal to religion in the very next sentence), it sounds like weasel words that were tacked on. She probably knew that simply saying her “personal beliefs” caused her conflict would’ve sounded too weak as an argument. So, she put in the empty phrase “professional judgment,” knowing full well that she won’t get called out on it by anyone with power.
We’ve been holding up the title of “Teacher” for the last 30 years as though millions of teachers aren’t absolute fuckwits.
Pay them like finance bros and see what kind of quality candidate shows up. Until then, expect what we have to continue.