South Carolina Teacher Fired for Discussing Article on Gay Bears

In South Carolina, a teacher who circulated LGBTQ+ materials deemed inappropriate by the local school district was fired after discovering that she had distributed them to students.

Last week, officials from Spartanburg School District 6 were notified that there was an incident that had occurred. The incident involved a 10th-grade class at Dorman High School, according to Greenville’s Fox affiliate WHNS.

Reports state that the school district contacted a teacher regarding an “inappropriate” article and “unapproved.” The teacher explained that she had facilitated a discussion about the article and distributed it on her own accord.

The article discussed the International Bear Brotherhood.

As a result of the discussion, the district placed the teacher on administrative leave pending the outcome of its investigation.

As a result of the district’s evaluation of the information it had collected, she was terminated from her employment.

Teachers were reminded at a recent meeting that the school’s administration must approve all questionable lessons.

According to the district, the teacher also attended that meeting but wasn’t identified immediately, the news station reports.

This week, South Carolina lawmakers proposed H.4047, which would prevent transgender under-18s from receiving essential medical care and create a school climate that discourages them from being themselves. If the bill passes, medical professionals will commit a felony if they provide transition-related care to transgender minors. In addition, the medical provider could be sentenced to 20 years in prison if convicted.

In addition, the bill also requires teachers and staff in South Carolina to notify parents if they learn a student’s “perception of [their] gender or sex is inconsistent with the minor’s sex.”

As a result, teachers must “out” transgender students to their parents, potentially before they are ready.

Alabama is considering a nearly identical bill.