Watch: Virginia Elementary Teacher Says 'It's Abuse' to Address Students by Chosen Pronouns

A gym teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia is on leave after sharing that it is "against my religion" to call students by their chosen pronouns, NBC news reported.

At a May 25 school board meeting, Leesburg Elementary School's Byron "Tanner" Cross, objected to a policy that would allow students to choose the pronouns that fit their gender identity.

"During the meeting, Cross referenced a recent '60 Minutes' episode that talked, in part, about young people who once identified as trans but changed their mind and detransitioned," NBC reports. "One person said they did not 'get enough pushback' and were allowed to begin gender-affirming hormones after only two appointments."

Cross shared calling a student by their chosen pronoun would be "lying."

"I love all of my students but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences," he said, according to a recording of the meeting, NBC reports. "I'm a teacher but I serve God first and 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 my child, it's abuse to a child and it's sinning against our God."

Cross' attorney has since spoken out against him being placed on leave, saying, "Public schools have no business compelling teachers to express ideological beliefs that they don't hold, but it's beyond the pale to suspend someone simply for respectfully providing their opinion at a public meeting, which is what such meetings are designed for."

A spokesperson for Loudoun County Public Schools confirmed that Cross was placed on leave and declined to comment further.

Watch Cross' remarks at the school board meeting below.