COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb County school teacher Katherine Rinderle's fate at Due West Elementary will be decided later this week.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Cobb County Board of Education's appointed tribunal has decided to reject the superintendent's recommendation to terminate Rinderle.
"I appreciate the tribunal's consideration of my case and decision not to terminate me," Rinderle said in a statement. "However, I disagree that I've violated any policy and that finding remains unjust and punitive."
This comes after Rinderle's decision to read a book about gender identity entitled "My Shadow Is Purple" to her gifted students was challenged by concerned parents and as a result, triggered Georgia's Divisive Concepts Law.
This legislation places restrictions on how grade school teachers can discuss race and other topics in the classroom. Proponents, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republicans, argue that the law prohibits the teaching of "divisive concepts."
"Prioritizing behaviors and attitudes rooted in bigotry and discrimination does not benefit students and undermines the quality of education and the duty of educators," Rinderle said.
According to documents obtained by 11 Alive, Rinderle was previously warned about her selection of supplemental materials after she read a children's book written by Stacey Abrams to her class and tagged Abrams in an Instagram post regarding their activities. This made parents concerned about political bias in Rinderle's class.
Of the three parents whose email complaints to the principal of Due West Elementary were used as evidence, two complaints were about Rinderle's response to her students when they did not understand concepts taught in class.
However, the third parent was "outraged that a book with such content was even allowed to be pushed" on their child, alleging the student was uncomfortable during the lesson.
One parent went as far as to have their child removed from Rinderle's class.
"Our message to the teachers in Cobb County and across Georgia, like Ms. Rinderle, working for equity, acceptance and inclusion in your classrooms: Please don't stop," Michael Tafelski, Senior Supervising Attorney for Children's Rights at the SPLC, said.
When 11Alive reached out to Cobb County School District for comment, a district spokesperson said, it would review the recommendation.
"The District appreciates the work of the Tribunal Members and the Hearing Officer. The Board will review the Tribunal’s recommendation and looks forward to returning our entire focus on educating all of our talented students," a district statement read.
According to SPLC, the board is expected to vote to adopt, reject or modify the tribunal's decision at its upcoming Aug. 17 meeting.