Rally to “Stand with Mr. T.” (Photo by Stacey Monroe)

Stacey Monroe, director of the Trans Empowerment Coalition, vowed earlier today (Monday, March 4) that the voices of those supporting suspended Hebron High School chemistry teacher Rachmad “Mr. T.” Tjachyadi would not be silenced.

This evening at the Lewisville ISD administration offices, Monroe and others kept that promise.

Supporters of Mr. T. rallied in support of the teacher outside the Lewisville ISD administration building before the LSID Board of Trustees’ workshop meeting earlier this evening. Supporters then went inside to attend the meeting, even though those who had already registered to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting were told earlier today they would not be allowed to speak.

An email from the LISD Board said that public comments at workshop meetings were allowed only on topics related to items on the agenda.

Mr. T. supporters, many dressed in pink, carried signs and banners and chanted slogans, both outside the building and inside the board’s meeting room.  Chants included: “Say it oud and say it proud; hatred is not allowed,” “Reinstate Mr. T.,” and “Lead with love, not with hate; Lewisville must reinstate.”

Gordy Carmona, North Texas community engagement and advocacy strategist for Equality Texas, said that as those inside the meeting room continued to chant their for Mr. T. to be re-instated, board members began to get up and leave the room, and that those supporters left the building when they were asked to do so.

(Photos by Gordy Carmona)

“Schools should be creating safe places for students to learn to grow into themselves. Yet Lewisville is demonstrating that nonconformity will be punished by removing a teacher who didn’t confirm to antiquated gender stereotypes,” Carmona said after the rally. “What message does that send to the trans and gender-expansive students at Lewisville ISD?”

The rally was sponsored by Trans Empowerment Coalition, Equality Texas, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs, Dallas Asian American Historical Society, Dallas Social Queer Organization, Carrollton Pride, Dallas Radical Faeries and the Dallas Anti-War Committee.

Supporters have said they will return on March 18 for the next regular LISD Board Meeting and will again register to speak during the public comment section of the me eting. Carmona said that anti-LGBTQ right-wingers who were at tonight’s meeting have said they will return on March 18 as well.

Carmona said that among those at tonight’s meeting were a woman wearing a Moms For Liberty t-shirt and local right-winger Kelly Neidert.

Moms for Liberty was, according to GLAAD, founded in January 2021 claiming it will “organize, educate and empower parents to defend their parental rights.” That has included supporting book bans, advocating for censorship in classroom, attacking LGBTQ rights and more. Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler has since been outed as having a three-way relationship with her husband and another woman, and her husband has been charged with sexually assaulting that other woman in an incident at which Bridget Ziegler was not present.

Kelly Neidert, a University of North Texas graduate who during her college years proudy claimed the title of “Texas’ most hated conservative college student,” made a name for herself by organizing protests of drag shows and drag brunches, often including armed protesters. Neidert originally “founded” Protect Texas Kids, but that group has apparently been replaced with her new organization, Texas Coalition for Kids.

In a post to X after tonight’s board meeting, Neidert claimed those there to support Mr. T. “incoherently shrieking and waving posters as soon as the meeting started,” and she dismissed them as “not serious people.”

For the record, even the video Neidert posted to her X account showed the teacher’s supporters chanting very calmly and coherently. They were neither shrieking nor incoherent.

— Tammye Nash