A Georgia teacher accused her school district of sending a 'harmful message' to students after she was fired for reading a book about gender identity to fifth graders

• A Georgia school board voted to fire a teacher who read a book about gender identity to her class.
• The teacher said the district is sending a "harmful message" to its students with her firing.

A Georgia teacher accused a school district of sending a "harmful message" to students when its board voted to fire her after she read a book about gender identity to her fifth graders earlier this year.

"I am disappointed in the district's decision to terminate me for reading an inclusive and affirming book — one that is representative of diverse student identities," Katherine Rinderle, a now-former fifth-grade teacher at Due West Elementary School in Marietta, said in a statement after the Thursday evening school board meeting.

The book she read, "My Shadow Is Purple" by Scott Stuart, explores the idea that there are more than just two gender identities and features a non-binary character.

Rinderle continued: "The district is sending a harmful message that not all students are worthy of affirmation in being their unapologetic and authentic selves."

Rinderle said the decision was "based on intentionally vague policies" and "will result in more teachers self-censoring in fear of not knowing where the invisible line will be drawn."

"Censorship perpetuates harm and students deserve better," she said.

CNN reported that after reading the book to her class in March — which Rinderle said she got from a school book fair, according to FOX5 — a parent called the principal to complain that the book was not appropriate.

The Cobb County School District claimed that Rinderle broke the district's rules on not teaching controversial subjects like gender identity, the Associated Press reported.

Rinderle was told in June that the school board intended to fire her, according to CNN, and she has been on leave for over a month, FOX5 reported.

Following a two-day hearing on the case last week, a Georgia tribunal made up of three retired teachers determined Monday that Rinderle had broken the district's rules but said she shouldn't be fired, denying the district's recommendation, according to the AP.

But the final decision came down to the school board, which on Thursday voted 4-3 along party lines to terminate Rinderle in line with the recommendations from the district and the Superintendent.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rinderle is the first known public school teacher in Georgia to be fired over three censorship laws passed in the state last year.