Teacher fired for reading gender identity book to class; court denies her appeal

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that firing Cobb County elementary school teacher Katie Rinderle in 2023 was an appropriate action by the school district.

In 2023, Rinderle read her elementary school class the book “My Shadow is Purple,” and was fired.

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The book is about about exploring gender identity and aimed at a younger audience.

Rinderle’s firing over reading the book became a national story as tensions over the action in the Cobb County School Board led to multiple public meetings and eventually a hearing over her termination.

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Ultimately, the board voted 4-3 to confirm the termination and Rinderle took her battle to the court instead.

On March 12, the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed a previous ruling that deemed the firing appropriate, dismissing Rinderle’s lawsuit to restore her employment.

Rinderle can now file a writ with the Georgia Supreme Court to appeal that decision, but it must be filed within 20 days of the ruling, which court records show was March 12.

That means Rinderle must file with the GSC by April 1 to be placed on the docket for further legal review.

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Rinderle’s attorney for comment on next steps for her case.

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