The quality of a teacher is not affected by their gender nor a gender change. I would not pull my child out of a class that has a good teacher based on some bigotry that others may feel.

No I would not. I'd use it as an opportunity to educate my child about bigotry and transgenders.

Of course not. His medical procedures/history is none of our business. Anyone who pulls their kid out of his classes would be teaching their children intolerance, bigotry and ignorance. Those are not qualities I want to instill in my children.

Naa yo, that's the teacher's personal buisiness yo...

I wouldn't, but then again I value education. I would be more likely to pull my child out of a class with an incompetent teacher.

I wouldn't. Who cares what gender they are and/or were, as long as they can teach a class well.

not unless he isnt a very good teacher - it is none of our business his sex life

no, it does not change their ability to teach, and in some situations it may actually be easier for them to keep control of the class, thus furthering the education of the students. (children often see men as the disciplinarian and are less likely to cause trouble in a male teacher's class at younger ages)

Of course not. What does the matter? I see it as a chance to teach the children about tolerance and difference in other people. Whether or not that are transgendered does not change whether or not they're a good teacher.

You know. I would be offended if the teacher announced this, or anything about his or her gall bladder or thyroid issues or anything about his of her sexuality. It is too much information for me and definitely too much for my grandchildren. The best way to keep me minding my own business if for people to keep their personal business to themselves as professionals. So, don't ask, don't tell and no, I would not try to find out and would not feel it necessary to remove the kids.

No. If my kids had a question, well, when mr Lastname was born, he had a problem that made him look like a girl, and now that he's grown up, he went to the doctor and now he can make sure everyone knows he's a boy. I wonder how many of the students pulled out were actually bothered. Band or Gym? If I played an instrument, my teacher could be a man-eating space alien and I'd still take band over gym.

Aren't there more important things to worry about than this? No, I wouldn't pull my kids.

You know how hard it is to find a good music teacher? If the teacher's good, s/he's good. End of story.

No. It wouldn't bother me. I would certainly not see any reason to penalize my children (removing the from a class they wished to take/changing schools). Throughout their lives, they will encounter people who are straight, gay, bi-sexual, transsexual, transgendered, etc, etc, etc. I don't shield them from the realities of life unless I deem them severely detrimental (I wouldn't let them watch porn at this age, for example.).

I would do anything to have a "Mr. Garrison" for a teacher. Since he's a music teacher, maybe he'll sing that song "Love lost long ago..." On a more serious note, gender doesn't affect the quality of teaching. That woman must have lived her entire life in a state of conflict and confusion. Now that she's undergone that major change, she is faced with even more of it. It must be quite traumatic for her.

Um..... I would pull my very young child (under 11) from any class where the teacher's personal life or any other issue was an inappropriate matter of concern to the child, or in some way detracted from the children's concentration. I would pull my child from a situation where other children were taking sides and assuming the moral high ground (e.g. "you must be gay too if.."), because children can be so cruel to their peers. I would pull my child from a situation where somebody's perfectly valid but adult decisions were advertised in the class, forcing me to bring forward their social education when I didn't think they were ready to absorb such nuances and adult social concepts. Lets face it a lot of kids at that age still think their mummies and daddies are perfect and know everything. Hardly the stage to absorb that adults are sometimes confused and that *horror* you can even be born in the wrong body. I have nothing against this teacher, but against the way the school handled this and the spot they put everybody on. I would want to support this teacher but not at my child's expense. Security and peer approval and education (and to some extent sweet innocence, even if that means ignorance) come first at that age.

I would have had my kids in the P.E. class anyway. But I would leave the decision up to my kids. If they didn't feel comfortable around her/him, I would not force them in the class.