Controversial Book on Gender Identity Leads to Georgia Teacher's Firing

A fifth-grade teacher in Georgia was fired by the Cobb County School Board for reading her students a book on gender identity that the district deemed to violate its policies and state law. The book, "My Shadow Is Purple," features a nonbinary character and challenges the concept of binary gender. Despite a recommendation from a tribunal to keep her job, the school board voted 4 to 3 to terminate the teacher. The decision has sparked concerns about censorship and self-censorship among teachers, as parents and lawmakers across the country attempt to remove LGBTQ+ books from school curriculum and libraries. The teacher plans to appeal the decision.