Wake school parents again took to a school board meeting to speak in favor and against a transgender teacher working at an elementary school.
WRAL is not naming either the teacher or school to protect that person’s identity.
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The back-and-forth started last month after State Rep. Erin Paré, R-Wake, posted on social media, arguing that an elementary school was not an appropriate setting for a transgender female teacher.
Some Wake County parents have pushed to exempt their children from the teacher's class. Some of them are pulling their children out of school during the times they are assigned to the transgender teacher.
"I'm not satisfied with checking my children out of fun and important classes," said parent Colette Emmerich. "I'm not satisfied with homeschool."
Others said the teacher has their support.
"Recently my son came home with a question about one of his teachers," said parent Amanda Patterson. "The question itself is irrelevant. It could have been asked about any one of his teachers. And my response was simple, 'Yeah, everyone’s a little different, aren’t they?' And I told him what we can do is just accept those differences and be kind; that was it."
During Tuesday's meeting, one parent brought her fourth-grade daughter up to the podium to talk about how she would feel "scared" if she had a transgender female teacher. Other parents have said their children seem to be OK with it.
A spokesperson for the Wake County Public School System told WRAL News the district has no further comment on the matter.
The situation has divided the school's community, with many wanting to keep pressing the issue publicly and others wanting the situation to quiet down, hoping the school community can move on.
It also presents questions about what the school system could legally do to address parent concerns.
Federal court decisions in recent years have protected employees from discrimination against their gender identity. The Wake County Public School System’s policy bars discrimination in the hiring process of anyone over several things, including their gender identity, in reflection of those decisions.