Texas chemistry teacher on leave after cross-dressing video of him in school goes viral
A cross-dressing chemistry teacher in Texas has been put on administrative leave after a video of him decked out in an all-pink dress and cowboy hat ensemble on Valentine’s Day went viral.
A video of Rachmad Tjachyadi, who teaches at Hebron High School in Carrollton, in the getup was shared by conservative social media account “Libs of TikTok.”
It sparked outrage from some slamming him as a “groomer” while students jumped to his defense, saying the teacher has created a “safe space” for them.
“UNREAL,” Libs of TikTok, which was founded by Chaya Raichik, posted.
“I’m told he also sometimes shows up to teach dressed in full drag and has a [fetish] for wearing women’s clothing,” it continued.
The video it shared was captioned, “This is a grown a– man.”
Another photo shared by the account shows Tjachyadi in a multicolored tutu skirt and printed leggings. Photos on his Facebook show him sporting a flowery headpiece, tie-dyed overalls and an Ursula costume from “The Little Mermaid.”
“There’s no place for this nonsense in schools,” one person commented on the viral X video. “Dress professionally at work and play dress up on your own time.”
In a letter to parents, school principal Amy Broughton said it was “natural for our families to have questions about this situation,” the Daily Mail reported.
“The staff member has been placed on administrative leave while the district reviews the situation, which is standard procedure,” a spokesperson for the school, which is part of the Lewisville Independent School District in northern Texas, told the Dallas Observer.
“Because this is a personnel matter currently under review, there is no additional information the district can share,” the spokesperson added.
An online petition calling for Tjachyadi’s return was started on Thursday. It gathered nearly 6,000 of its 7,500 signature goal as of Saturday afternoon.
“He is a great teacher, he explains chemistry very well and has created a very fun and safe environment for his students,” the petition, which was created by student Julia Ngo, stated.
“He has been an inspiration to many students, and has created a space where everyone can feel valued and safe,” it continued. “He is in no way a pedophile or publicizing a ‘fetish.’ In fact, many students in his class encouraged him to wear the dress in the first place.”
Ngo wrote that the community was “frustrated and disappointed” and that it would be a “great loss” to lose him as a teacher.
Tjachyadi has been teaching science in Texas since 2002, according to his LinkedIn page.
