A gym teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia, has been suspended after he told school officials that he refuses to abide by a proposed policy that requires staff to call transgender students by their preferred pronouns.

Byron Tanner Cross told Loudoun County Public School board members at a meeting last Tuesday that the policy violates his Christian beliefs.

“I’m a teacher, but I serve God first,” Mr. Cross said. “I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it’s against my religion, it’s lying to a child, it’s abuse to a child and it’s sinning against our God.”

On Thursday, he received a letter saying he was being placed on administrative leave “pending an investigation of allegations that [he] engaged in conduct that has had a disruptive impact on the operations of Leesburg Elementary School.”

School system spokesman Wayde Byard confirmed in an email Tuesday that Mr. Cross is on paid administrative leave.