Leo Soell, a transgender 5th-grade teacher at Hall Elementary School in Oregon, was awarded $60,000 by the school district after “they” experienced harassment from fellow teachers who used the wrong gender pronouns when referring to Soell.
The school district also agreed to add more transgender bathrooms in more than a dozen district school buildings after Soell’s complaints, according to The Oregonian.
Soell, born a woman, made the change after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and uses the pronoun “they.” Soell had their breasts removed for a more masculine appearance and changed their name to Leo. Soell now identifies as “transmasculine” and “genderqueer,” which means they don’t identify as either male or female.
The Oregonian reported that Leo Soell was harassed by co-workers who said “Ms. Soell,” “she,” and “lady.” Soell also complained that one teacher said their gender identity was offensive to God and teachers conspired to use the school’s only gender-neutral restroom, forcing Soell to wait for at least a half-hour before it was available.
After a harassment complaint in the fall of 2015, the Gresham-Barlow School District conducted an investigation and found no proof of harassment.
Following that ruling, Soell hired Jennifer Middleton, a well-known lawyer in Oregon. Eventually, Soell and the school district settled on the agreement to create gender-neutral bathrooms and $60,000 for Soell’s attorney fees and emotional distress.
Following the settlement, Hall Elementary School principal Heidi Lasher reminded members of the district of anti-bullying policies.
“These policies require that all staff address transgender or gender non-conforming employees with their correct name and pronouns. If you are found to be in violation of these policies, you will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal,” Lasher said.
Since the settlement, Soell said teaching at the elementary school has been a much more pleasant experience.
