Cross v. Loudoun County School Board

Summary

Three faculty members, Loudoun County High School history teacher Monica Gill, Smart’s Mill Middle School English teacher Kim Wright, and Leesburg Elementary School physical education teacher Tanner Cross, have challenged Loudoun County School Board Policy 8040. This policy forces all teachers to advance and embrace ideologies in their classroom that have proven harmful to children by forcing teachers to deny truths about what it means to be male and female. The policy requires teachers to help students deny their biological sex by using whatever pronouns students specify.

While all three teachers have spoken out against the policy, Tanner was suspended for the comments he made in his personal capacity at a public school board meeting in May 2021. After Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Tanner’s constitutional rights had likely been violated, and he was permanently restored to his role after reaching a settlement with the Board on his reinstatement claims.

After the passage of Policy 8040 in August 2021, ADF amended its complaint to challenge the policy itself and added Monica Gill and Kimberly Wright as plaintiffs.