Teacher accused of bullying transgender students, forcing religious beliefs

JROTC instructor suspended for forcing relgious beliefs about gender identity

LEE COUNTY, Fla. –  A Florida high school teacher and JROTC instructor has been suspended after an investigation found he tried forcing his religious beliefs regarding sexual orientation and gender identity on his students.

Matthew Garza and Kyle Goffena both identify as transgender and were sophomores in Angel Villanueva's JROTC class last year. They said Villanueva made it clear at the beginning of the school year that he was against anyone who identified as gay and lesbian, as it did not agree with his religion. They were comments Garza and Goffena expected from a schoolyard bully, not their teacher.

"He would say that we were an abomination. That we were going to end the world," Garza said. One day Villanueva stopped Garza in the hallway to hand her something. "He tried offering me a book called Gay No More."

Read more at WBBH.


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