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The school district found that he didn’t violate any rules by wearing a pink dress to show solidarity with students, but the science teacher resigned because of the amount of negative attention.
After Libs of TikTok amplified rage against a popular chemistry teacher in Texas for wearing a dress during a school spirit day activity, the beloved teacher has resigned.
Rachmad Tjachyadi, a science teacher at Hebron High School in Lewisville, north of Dallas, resigned from his teaching position on Wednesday following a wave of backlash over his attire for a school spirit event. According toThe Dallas Morning News, Tjachyadi, affectionately known as Mr. T by his students, chose to wear a pink dress during the school’s Spirit Day, an act that became the focal point of controversy after the right-wing social media account Libs of TikTok, run by far-right extremist Chaya Raichik, shared a video of him in the outfit.
Related: Oklahomans to Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik: 'Stay out of our state'
The video’s circulation led to a torrent of negative attention, including hateful comments that Tjachyadi cited as a significant reason for his resignation. Despite an internal investigation by the Lewisville Independent School District, which found no policy violations on Tjachyadi’s part, the teacher decided to step down, highlighting the distress caused by the social media-fueled furor as overshadowing the educational process.
In his resignation letter, the teacher thanked the community for its support.
“I appreciate LISD’s support and the outcome of the investigation, which showed I did not violate any policies through my choice of clothes on a dress up day,” Tjachyadi wrote.
He explained that the controversy from outside the local school district impacted his decision to leave. “It has been challenging to watch the negative external commentary about me and about our campus, but much more important to me is the support shown by my colleagues, students, and LISD,” he wrote.
This incident is yet another example of Libs of TikTok’s outsized role in sparking contentious debates and targeting individuals for their support of LGBTQ+ rights or non-conventional gender expressions.
Last month, a gay principal in Oklahoma resigned from his position after relentless attacks fueled by Libs of TikTok targeted his school district after right-wing extremists discovered that the seasoned educator worked as a drag queen in a dinner theater.
The Dallas Observer reports that the backlash following the account’s post exemplifies the broader societal struggle with gender norms and the inclusivity of diverse identities in educational settings.
The situation drew reactions from the community and beyond, with students, parents, and activists rallying to support Tjachyadi. A petition demanding his reinstatement garnered over 20,000 signatures, while protests called for a more inclusive and hate-free school environment. Supporters praised Tjachyadi for creating a supportive classroom atmosphere that valued every student’s identity and expression.
