Background
She was born William B. McBeth and as part of her transition underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2005.
She was born William B. McBeth and as part of her transition underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2005.
Her actions were hailed as a model of tolerance and acceptance of transgender Americans. She had three grown children from a previous marriage of 33 years. She was a retired medical sales & marketing executive.
She was an active surfer, sailor, skier and duck hunter.
As a soldier, she served in the United States. Army as a Senior Medical Corpsman with a tour duty in Alaska. She said that she had always perceived herself as female and identified with other women.
Some in the community did not think she should have been allowed to return to teaching. One parent took out a full-page advertisement in a local newspaper alerting parents to what had happened.
Parents expressed fear that some of her students would not understand transgenderism.
After listening to parents and citizens providing public input, the school district board decided to uphold their previous 4 to 1 vote for her reinstatement. This decision was hailed and criticized by politicians, journalists, and activists around the world. The School Board appointed her to this position after a meeting at which they heard no negative comments.
The vote to accept her was unanimous, with one member abstaining.
In 2009, McBeth retired from substituting, claiming that she had received fewer substituting assignments, which she attributed to being a transport woman. She was involved in local theater productions, church choir, and volunteering to re-establish clam colonies in Barnegat Bay.
McBeth died on September 24, 2014, at the age of 80.