Active State Supreme Court

Cross v. Loudoun County School Board

Teachers Kim Wright, Tanner Cross, and Monica Gill of Loudoun County Public Schools are challenging an unconstitutional school board policy.
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Summary

Three faculty members, Loudoun County High School history teacher Monica Gill, Smart’s Mill Middle School English teacher Kim Wright, and Leesburg Elementary School physical education teacher Tanner Cross, have challenged Loudoun County School Board Policy 8040. This policy forces all teachers to advance and embrace ideologies in their classroom that have proven harmful to children by forcing teachers to deny truths about what it means to be male and female. The policy requires teachers to help students deny their biological sex by using whatever pronouns students specify.

While all three teachers have spoken out against the policy, Tanner was suspended for the comments he made in his personal capacity at a public school board meeting in May 2021. After Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Tanner’s constitutional rights had likely been violated, and he was permanently restored to his role after reaching a settlement with the Board on his reinstatement claims.

After the passage of Policy 8040 in August 2021, ADF amended its complaint to challenge the policy itself and added Monica Gill and Kimberly Wright as plaintiffs.

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Press Releases

Commentary

Case Documents

Court
Title
Date
State Supreme Court
Agreed order granting permanent injunction and dismissing certain causes of action
12/1/2021
State Supreme Court
Virginia Supreme Court order
8/30/2021
Trial Court
Plaintiffs' memorandum in support of motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction
8/20/2021
Trial Court
Amended complaint
8/16/2021
Trial Court
Response in opposition to petition for appeal
6/30/2021
More Documents

Additional Resources

Case Profiles

Tyson Langhofer
Tyson Langhofer
Senior Counsel, Director of Center for Academic Freedom
Tyson Langhofer serves as senior counsel and director of the Center for Academic Freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom.
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Ryan Bangert
Ryan Bangert
Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President
Ryan Bangert serves as Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President at Alliance Defending Freedom.
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