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Wake County school board members and community members rallied Tuesday around a transgender teacher whose hiring has been questioned by conservative groups.
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Libs of TikTok, a far-right social media account, has been urging people to contact the principal of Middle Creek Elementary School in Apex to voice their concerns about the hiring of the transgender teacher. But during Tuesday’s school board meeting, most speakers as well as several board members, spoke in support of the educator.
“This manufactured issue does not need to be before this body in my opinion,” said Stephen Stacks, a pastor and Middle Creek Elementary parent. “This teacher is perfectly qualified and a lovely person. There is no reason why their ability to do their job should be in question.”
However, some speakers said the teacher’s hiring is prompting uncomfortable questions from young children.
“Elementary-aged children are now asking questions about sex, gender identity and pronouns and gender presentation,” said Aaron Driver, a Middle Creek parent. “That creates an educational issue, therefore a parental rights issue.”
The situation first drew public attention last week when Republican state Rep. Erin Paré posted online about “the hiring of a transgender biological male, who dresses as a woman … in one of our local elementary schools.”
Paré floated the idea of filing legislation requiring “gender-appropriate professional attire for public school employees.” The idea was called unconstitutional by the ACLU of North Carolina and LGBTQ+ rights groups.
Paré didn’t name the teacher. But others have posted the educator’s name and photo online. The News & Observer is not naming the teacher, who has not responded to The N&O’s requests for comment.
Several speakers and school board members said Tuesday that it would be discriminatory to have a dress code for transgender teachers. They addressed the situation during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“Enforcing gender-differentiated clothing requirements based on traditional gender roles constitutes impermissible sex stereotyping under the Constitution,” said board member Chris Heagarty. “So can we all come together, respect the law, and work on how we can all come together and fund our kids’ education?”
Board member Jennifer Job accused people of using the issue to promote culture wars.
“People online and in this room are willing to sacrifice this person’s love for their job for their culture war,” Job said.
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Elizabeth Stacks told the board how her children were thrilled to meet the new teacher during Middle Creek’s Meet The Teacher Night. She added that parents are confused by the situation, not the students.
“I’ve seen the worst of Wake County in seeing discourse online and seeing just absolutely horrible things said about a person that my kids already know and love,” Stacks said.
Multiple speakers argued that the hiring of a transgender teacher is a way to show students the importance of being in a diverse environment.
“Someone in our community chose to attack one of our teachers and our school, saying diversity is confusing to students,” said Anna Crollman, the parent of a Middle Creek student and a former Wake teacher. “But what’s confusing to students is attacking people based on how they may present, their appearance or their identity when we have a responsibility as a county to serve students of all diverse backgrounds and their families.”
The board meeting brought out several members of the LGBTQ community, who urged the school board to support the teacher.
“I join my voice with many parents you’ve heard tonight standing for diversity, standing for people who actually care about our students rather than fearmonger and misunderstanding,” said Eliazar Posada-Orozco, the executive director of Equality NC, the state’s oldest LGBTQ+ rights group.
But some speakers warned the school board that they’ll face consequences for their actions.
Driver, the Middle Creek parent, has formed a group called Middle Creek Parental Rights. Driver said the group would demand and release public records about the teacher’s hiring.
“Parents shouldn’t have to discover major changes about their children’s education from X, or national media outlets or big questions brought home by confused and vulnerable 5- and 6-year-olds,” Driver told the board.
Joseph Deaton, a frequent critic of the school district, said the school is forcing students and other teachers to use “false pronouns” when talking to the teacher.
Will students who refuse to use a false title and pronoun be punished or suspended?” Deaton said. “Will teachers be fired for the same reason?”
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This story was originally published August 4, 2026 at 8:13 PM.