Students at Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California, were recently suspended for a misgendering incident with a transgender teacher.
The incident occurred when two students misgendered and then ran away from the teacher who was attempting to correct their behavior. Following the suspension, they were then subjected to training called “restorative justice.”
According to an email from departing principal Jennifer Earl, “I suspended two students for five days each today and will be conducting [restorative justice] with students and teacher for [the misgendering]… In interviewing them, they admitted to being curious about a transgender person.”
The Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) clarified that it determines if a misgendering incident is considered bullying with intent.
Glendale high school students suspended for 5 days for “misgendering” teacher, and then undergo “restorative justice (RJ)” education. Any comment on this @GlendaleUSD ?#gusdparentsvoices pic.twitter.com/RcTCLRPJRL
— GUSD Parents Voices (@gusdparents) July 5, 2023
The news of the suspension and subsequent “restorative justice” has caused an uproar among many parents who have grown increasingly divided on the issue of transgender rights. Some are angered that the students were suspended for their behavior, while others are horrified that the students were not reprimanded enough or taught the proper way of addressing transgender people.
Fox News Digital spoke with Lisa Hardeman, a mother of one of the students involved in the incident. She said, “It’s just a very confusing topic. It’s a brave new world for many of us—and it doesn’t make sense. Biological males being accepted as full-fledged women who can reproduce will never be accepted because it’s not reality.”
Despite the controversy, GUSD insists that its policies and school culture are rooted in respect and sensitivity. In a statement to Fox News Digital, GUSD Spokesperson Tom Lorenz said: “It is our hope that at Herbert Hoover High School, as with all of our schools, that our students, staff, and parents will continue to strive to create a safe and supportive learning and working environment for each other.”
High schoolers suspended after ‘misgendering’ teacher, California parents sayhttps://t.co/q4ZYIaX67O
— ABC News 4 (@ABCNews4) July 7, 2023
The suspension and “restorative justice” have raised questions about how schools should handle incidents of misgendering. Parents, students, and educators seem to have a divided opinion on the matter, beneath the controversy lies a shared understanding that respect and sensitivity must be paramount in any discussion on transgender rights.
