Warning: The following story discusses sensitive content involving minors. Reader discretion is advised.
United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed Thursday that a North Carolina elementary school teacher who identified as a transgender wolf lost their job earlier this month.
The Christian Broadcast Network reported Thursday that a group of military families at Fort Bragg flagged “sexually inappropriate” behavior by the teacher and the teacher’s aide. According to a letter sent by Liberty Counsel, administrators at Mildred B. Poole Elementary School are accused of allowing and enabling the teacher — who worked with kindergarten and pre-K children — to engage in “disturbing behavior” that allegedly included wearing a dog collar and an animal tail.
Additionally, the teacher — who reportedly used names including “Lilith Deathhowl” and “Artemis Deathhowl” — is accused of telling students that he turns into a wolf and asking them to howl like wolves. Considering the broader context of the story, parents interpreted that behavior as a teacher asking children to participate in a sexual fetish. As of publication, there have been no allegations that the teacher committed any type of physical harm against students.
The “Wolf” was fired 2 weeks ago. https://t.co/qd4hFj8MIP
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) February 20, 2026
At least one parent alleged that their daughter told them, “Mommy, I’m scared he’s going to come eat me,” after the teacher claimed they turn into a wolf at night. Another parent flagged the teacher explaining that they were transgender and preferred men.
Liberty Counsel also claims that parents reported the teacher in early 2025 and again in January 2026. However, they were allegedly told that the school could not intervene because the teacher identified as transgender and because the school lacked an official dress code.
Further details regarding the teacher’s employment history remained unclear at publication. Hegseth wrote on X that the teacher was fired. It is unknown whether the teacher was suspended at any point prior to being fired.
Neither Mildred B. Poole Elementary School nor the DoDEA Americas Mid-Atlantic District had addressed the situation as of Friday morning.
Frankly, his bosses and perhaps some of his colleagues need fired. You’re telling me none of them noticed any of this until a parent caused it to hit the papers?
— MrsLibertyBelle (@MrsLibertyBell1) February 20, 2026
Unfortunately, this is only the latest story involving alleged inappropriate conduct by educators working with elementary school–aged students. The Chloe Day School & Wellness Center in Harlem, N.Y., went viral last month after posting a video of an anti-ICE protest in a kindergarten classroom. Another viral clip depicted young children walking around a classroom and chanting “No Donald Trump” in a school believed to be in the Boston area.
These incidents raise further questions regarding the U.S. education system, and a glance at social media regularly shows X and Facebook users advocating for parents to homeschool their children. Seemingly gone are the days when students arrived at school and spent their time focused on learning the three Rs: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
As of 2025, more than 3.7 million children in the United States are believed to be homeschooled.
If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, or if you are a child who is being mistreated, call 800-422-4453 immediately. This ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
