New Jersey- A teacher at Mountain View Middle School in Mendham Borough left his classroom in June as a man, and plans to return to school next month as a woman.

Some parents and teachers have accepted teacher Kerri McCaffrey’s decision to embrace his feminine identity and undergo gender reassignment surgery. A few others have concerns about whether middle school-age children should have to deal with such issues.

“I just want to be Kerri McCaffrey, a great teacher like I’ve always been,” said the 41-year-old language arts teacher. “I’m a good influence on children, and I’ve dedicated my life to them.”

After struggling with her identity since the age of the 7, marrying and becoming a parent of two, and teaching for 12 years, McCaffrey underwent gender reassignment surgery in February and returned to school wearing a jacket and tie to avoid disruption, she said.

“If I came out with this in February, I wouldn’t have been able to teach because it would have caused such a commotion,” McCaffrey said. “I could not be selfish and hurt the kids in the middle of the year.”

The summer, she decided, would be a good transition period for students and parents to hear about the surgery, get answers and accept it. But McCaffrey, who grew up in Madison as Herb McCaffrey and lives near Mendham Borough, said she has tried to stay low key these past few months.

“I didn’t think it was fair to run into people in town who knew me as Herb, as a Little League coach, just weeks after I did this,” she said.

Superintendent Janie Edmunds said she could not comment specifically about McCaffrey because personnel issues and medical issues are involved. Edmunds also would not say which school McCaffrey would teach in next year.

Edmunds would only say she is “looking forward to the beginning of school” and “expects a smooth start.”