Transgender teacher claims bullying led to dismissal in New York

A transgender teacher in New York's Hudson Valley says she was forced out of her job due to bullying by students and colleagues. Tonia Daniels, who worked as a substitute teacher, faced harassment and misgendering at the hands of both students and staff. She claims that after a social media campaign by parents against her, she was fired for revealing her gender identity to a student. Daniels, who has over 35 years of teaching experience, is now cleaning houses to make a living. She expressed disappointment that the school and parents could not see her experience beyond their biases against transgender individuals. Daniels has filed a federal lawsuit to prevent other teachers from facing similar discrimination. In her statement, Daniels's attorney, Jillian Weiss, emphasized that all Americans should have a fair chance to work without facing discrimination. The school district has not commented on the lawsuit. Daniels started substitute teaching in February 2024. On her first day, she was misgendered, and incidents continued to occur in her classrooms. She reported the bullying to her principal, but her concerns were dismissed, according to her complaint. After attempting to create empathy among her students, parents demanded her removal, leading to her being assigned elsewhere in the district. Daniels's complaints detail how students continued to ridicule her gender identity. When she disclosed her identity to a second-grade student, officials told her she could not teach in the district any longer due to complaints from parents. She is seeking to be reinstated, along with damages for the treatment she received.