Maryland teacher with multiple non-binary identities admits hiding students' gender transitions from parents

close

Video

Rep. Nancy Mace confronts transgender witness on violent rhetoric

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., called out the hypocrisy of a transgender witness claiming violent rhetoric is a threat to democracy while tweeting threats against the Supreme Court.

A Maryland teacher admitted intentionally concealing students' gender changes on TikTok, "especially from parents," Fox News Digital found. 

Lane Cogdill works at Silver Spring International Middle School in the Montgomery County Public Schools District, according to its website. The teacher uses "ze/zir," "they/them" and "he/him" pronouns. 

Cogdill explained that when students question their gender, the teacher will ask them for their name and pronouns and would help hide it from school administrators and parents upon request. 

"Every year since 2015, I've had at least one student come out to me as transgender or non-binary, or open up to me about gender questioning," Cogdill said.

ILLINOIS TEACHER SAYS CRITICS OF WOKE ED CREATING ‘CHRISTIAN NATIOANLIST THEOCRACY’ THAT WILL ‘UNLIVE PEOPLE’

Lane Cogdill teacher (TikTok/Screenshot)

"I always ask a trans or questioning student as soon as I find out what is the name you prefer? What pronouns do you prefer? Who else knows? And how would you like me to refer to you when I speak to your family, to the administrators, to other teachers, in front of other students? Some students ask me not to disclose their identity, and that's a promise I always honor," Cogdill added.

The teacher added, "I can't imagine breaking a single trans or non-binary student's trust by sharing details about their gender identity with anyone…., especially their parents, their counselors and their administrators."

As a first step, transgender children may adopt new names and pronouns that they feel matches their gender identity as part of a process called "social transition." Other aspects of the process may include changing their clothing and getting haircuts to match a preferred gender expression. 

"I've seen a lot of trans and non-binary students gain confidence after confiding in me and after having a trusted adult affirm and support them," the teacher said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Cogdill and the middle school for comment but did not receive a response. 

Cogdill explained that for the past seven years when meeting new students during the beginning of the year "I introduce and explain my identity."

Cogdill's identity is complicated as it comprises multiple non-binary identities.

Lane Cogdill teacher (TikTok/Screenshot)

"I identify as non-binary, meaning I don't identify as a man or a woman. I identify with the terms genderfluid and genderqueer because I'm somewhat masculine and somewhat feminine," the teacher said. 

"The pronouns they mostly affirm me are ze/zir or they/them or he/him. My title is Mx. Cogdill – Mx. – rather than Ms. or Mr. And I ask my students… to use Mx. instead of ma'am or sir. I changed my name to Lane because it's gender-neutral. I also go by Theo, which is affirming because my masculinity is not always recognized by other people."

Cogdill proceeded to explain additional information about a non-binary identity. 

"I want to share a little more about some non-binary identities, including some of my own… [Non-binary] basically means someone who isn't a man and isn't a woman… Some people identify as genderfluid, meaning their gender… fluidly changes between masculine and feminine and agender or other identities. Agender means the person doesn't identify as or with gender at all, just like off the gender planet entirely," the teacher said. "There's also genderqueer, which is kind of the one that best fits me, which means I'm just not a man and just not a woman. But my gender is… definitely queer."

Teachers around the country have boasted including gender theory in their classroom libraries and curriculum. 

Skye Tooley, a teacher at Saturn Street Elementary, located in the Los Angeles Unified School District, discussed on TikTok using a "gender-fluid" stuffed animal to teach children on pronouns and being non-binary. Gender fluidity refers to change over time in a person's gender expression or gender identity, or both.

Teacher uses stuffed animals to teach children about pronouns and gender identities. (Screenshot/TikTok)

MINNESOTA SCIENCE TEACHER CLAIMS CELL BIOLOGY LESSONS ARE PART OF 'CAPITALIST INDOCTRINATION'

"This is a llama unicorn... I thought it was so cute to let my kids name the llama unicorn. It was a mistake. So this little llama is gender-fluid; we will be practicing pronouns with this little llama," Tooley said.

"[Children] are very much ready for these topics, and are way more accepting than adults when it comes to... gender, gender assumptions, pronouns, all the things. And it is child-development appropriate and age appropriate," the teacher said. 

Tooley provided another example of a stuffed animal that had they/them pronouns.

"I started talking [to students] about Norbert the Narwhal … who uses they/them pronouns, and we practice making mistakes with their pronouns as well as correcting them." 

Another teacher in the Sacramento City Unified District, Danita McCray, recommended using a "gender unicorn" with toddlers to introduce gender theory.

"Now, early childhood is 0 to 8 years old, so that's kind of like from preschool to third grade… And the focus… of this workshop is to provide you with positive strategies to support transgender and gender non-conforming children," McCray said in a video exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital. 

"I've done research. I have got my doctorate degree. Children are not too young at five years old. Children understand gender as early as three years old.

Another trend in education that has caught discussed intentionally hiding a gender change from parents. 

Mandi Jung, an anti-capitalist science teacher from Minneapolis, revealed that she used a survey which allows students to conceal a gender identity change in her classroom, Fox News Digital found. 

Teacher Minnesota, Mandi Jung, previously admitted to providing a gender identity survey to students.  (iStock | Screenshot/TikTok)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The questions asked students about their preferred pronouns and names, and whether those can be used when speaking directly with a student's parents. 

Another method used by some teachers, which was encouraged by Randi Weingarten's American Federation of Teachers union, recommended using a "pronoun card" to help teachers conceal students' gender changes.