Bay Area mom says cancel culture got her fired after she condemned school district's sex ed

BENICIA, Calif. (KGO) -- A mom in Benicia is speaking out after she says she was let go as a real estate agent after she was outspoken about the school district's sex education curriculum at a board meeting.

Janet Roberson has three children in the Benicia school system. Last April, she spoke up at a school board meeting about her opposition to new teachings.

She told the board: "It's not a choice. People are not gender fluid and to teach our children this is not okay."

"I thought, gosh as a mom speaking at a school board meeting, you should be able to do that without losing your job," said Roberson.

She says opponents were quick to publish editorials online and in local media calling her a bigot and transphobic. She believes the public backlash and subsequent letters written to her employer Compass Real Estate led to her being let go 10 days later.

MORE: Student protests prompt discussion on combined-gender sex ed classes

Compass Real Estate issued a statement saying: "Compass does not make decisions about agents' affiliations with the company based on their personal political or social beliefs."

And the superintendent of Benicia Unified School District said, "Parents and guardians have the right to opt out of all or part of sexual health instruction."

As an independent contractor, Roberson found she didn't have legal recourse.

"We should all be able to have our opinions without trying to cancel each other. I think I'm really trying to come out strong against this whole kind of cancel culture," said Roberson.

This month, she put together an online video outlining her outrage.

MORE: Student protests prompt discussion on combined-gender sex ed classes

The video got a lot of attention and thrust Roberson into the spotlight.

"The consequences of saying something in a public forum is going to be what they are independent of what we think they should be," said Cal State East Bay Communications Professor Grant Kien.

Kien says social media accelerates the consequences.

"The whole point of freedom of speech is we say things that do get public traction. So we can't have it both ways," said Roberson.

She says she's found a new job and is still speaking out.

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