Colorado teacher fears retaliation after wearing chromosome-themed shirt

Stacey Adair, a decorated educator from Colorado, faced a district inquiry after an anonymous complaint alleged her "XX ≠ XY" t-shirt promoted anti-transgender messaging at a recent training event. Although no students were present, officials asked her to complete a questionnaire and warned against wearing clothing with contentious messages in the future. Adair, a 2025 Teacher Freedom Summit awardee, expressed fear that the reprimand could lead to further scrutiny, especially given her prior role in overturning school-board members backed by the teachers union and allowing the district’s union contract to lapse.

She recounted a prior threatening email after confronting the union during a school speech, underscoring her sense of being targeted. Ryan Walters, CEO of the Teachers Freedom Alliance, framed the incident as part of a larger struggle over ideology and union power in classrooms across the country. The district’s policy bars political or disruptive apparel, a rule Adair argues does not apply to her fact-based shirt.