Laramie County School District reportedly bans substitute teacher from working in district for refusing to use the preferred pronouns and names of students

On June 4, 2024, Cowboy State Daily reported that the Laramie County School District banned substitute teacher Gene Clemetson from working in the district for refusing to use the preferred pronouns and names of students who identify as transgender. The news outlet reported that he “was escorted out of East High School in Laramie County School District No. 1 while substitute teaching in March” after he refused to refer to a biological boy as a girl. He explained: “I have to go by the name on the roster.”

The principal then reportedly confronted him. He explained:

He proceeded to tell me I did not fit in at East High School, that I was not welcome back. And he proceeded to tell me he was going to report me to the administration and then had me escorted out of the building by his vice principal.

On another occasion, he refused to use another student’s preferred name and pronouns at Triumph High School. The Cowboy State Daily reported that the principal “asked him to leave the building and that the human resources department would be contacting him.” The issue escalated when “three students were upset and went to their counselors or advisors.”