Lawmakers, advocacy group voice opinions on U.S. Space and Rocket Center transgender employee
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Numerous parents, lawmakers and advocacy groups across North Alabama have been voicing their concerns about a transgender employee at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
Those parents and residents have taken to Facebook to make posts about the employee who identifies as she/they and works as a Camp Counselor for the Space Camp program.
One parent, Clay Yarbrough, said his daughter had planned on going to Space Camp this week until he learned about the transgender employee.
“This is a man that claims to be a woman, and they allow it,” Yarborough’s post said in part.
Between comments and shares on the posts, parents of children who have plans to attend or have attended Space Camp are calling for the resignation/termination of the employee.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, there are laws and policies in place that protect transgender workers. A few of those laws are as follows:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex discrimination in employment. Numerous courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have agreed that discrimination because an employee or job applicant is transgender or gender non-conforming, or because he or she fails to conform to gender stereotypes, is sex discrimination under Title VII.
- The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 prohibits discrimination by the federal government on the basis of “conduct which does not adversely affect the performance” of an applicant or employee. This includes being LGBT.
- Executive Order 13087 prohibits discrimination in federal employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Executive Order 13672 prohibits anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors. If you work for a company that contracts with the federal government, you are protected.
WAFF 48 News reached out to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center for a statement and the following is what was provided:
We are aware of rumors circulating on social media about a Space Camp employee. We would like to assure parents, teachers, and the public that the safety and security of Space Camp students is our number one priority. Any allegations of misconduct are taken very seriously. We are working to determine the facts in this case, after which we will take appropriate action.
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center adheres to all state and federal laws regulating hiring practices. Our camp staff undergo extensive nationwide criminal background checks that include state, county, and municipal court-level information, Department of Corrections data, state sex offender registries from across the country, and multi-panel drug tests.
We also have rigorous standards and procedures regarding the behavior of Space Camp employees to ensure the safety of students. These include:
No physical contact between staff and students beyond a fist bump or high five.
No staff is allowed to be alone with a student behind a closed door.
No sharing of personal details including personal phone numbers, email addresses, or social media information.
No discussion of religion, sexual topics, politics, or sharing of opinions and beliefs that may be controversial.
Additionally, staff sleep in separate rooms from students and use separate bathroom facilities. We also provide 24-hour onsite security including round-the-clock video surveillance, regular foot and vehicle patrols, and controlled campus and building access.
We are an apolitical organization with no social agenda. Our singular mission is to inspire and educate.
Space Camp has been a trusted institution since its founding in 1982 with more than one million graduates from all 50 states and 150 countries. Many of those graduates have gone on to apply the leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills they learned at Space Camp to successful careers as scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors, and astronauts. We will continue to work hard to foster trust with each family and student that walks in our doors.
His post received just over 4,500 shares and caught the eye of Senator Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Dale Strong who each took to X(formerly known as Twitter) with their own statements.
The Alabama Trans Rights Action Coalition (ALTRAC) has released a statement following the concerns of a transgender employee at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp.
“This kind of rhetoric further divides our state, has no basis in reality, and has historically led to violence. It is additional fuel poured on the flames of moral panic gripping the right wing of American political discourse, based only in fear and misunderstanding.”
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