Military families protested disturbing classroom behavior at a Fort Bragg area elementary school, resulting in the firing of a substitute teacher who identified as a “transgender wolf.” Officials confirmed the teacher was dismissed after Liberty Counsel intervened on behalf of parents alarmed by the conduct and repeated complaints to school administrators.
Parents at Mildred B. Poole Elementary School, part of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) serving military families in North Carolina, raised serious concerns about a substitute teacher assigned to pre-K and kindergarten classes. According to complaints, the teacher frequently wore women’s clothing along with items such as a dog collar and animal tail, and asked students to behave or “howl like wolves.”
The teacher reportedly identified with multiple wolf-themed names, including “Roxxanne Wildheart,” “Captain Roxxie,” and “savagebeastqueen,” and told young students that he turns into a wolf at night. One parent’s child allegedly came home saying she was afraid he would “come eat [her].”
Concerns escalated over approximately a year as parents and some teachers struggled to get school leaders to intervene. Administrators initially said they could not act due to a lack of dress code and because the teacher’s transgender identity was considered protected. After renewed complaints in January, Liberty Counsel — a legal organization — sent a formal demand letter to the DoDEA on February 9 urging immediate action. The letter argued the teacher’s conduct amounted to sexual harassment and distractions harmful to children, citing federal rules including Title IX.
On February 20, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on social media that the teacher had been dismissed roughly two weeks earlier. The DoDEA later confirmed the district had terminated the employment relationship and barred the individual from Fort Bragg, stating the behavior was unacceptable.
The episode underscores ongoing debates over classroom environments and the role of identity expression in schools, especially where very young children are concerned. Parents involved said they pursued action because they felt their children were frightened and their concerns were initially dismissed by school officials.
