Teachers in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will no longer have to ask or use students' preferred pronouns after a lawsuit settlement Tuesday.
In June 2022, Deborah Filiola, Kristin Marsh, and Laura Nelson learned that their rights, protected by the federal Free Speech Clause and the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, were threatened by a coercive action they opposed. He filed a lawsuit against the Harrisonburg City Board of Education, alleging that he had been infringed by such speech.
According to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represents the teachers, the lawsuit alleges that teachers were required to undergo training to ensure they adhered to the school board's anti-discrimination policies. It is said to be the cause. The training required teachers to ask students for their “preferred” name and pronouns and to always use them.
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The Alliance Defending Freedom won a legal victory Tuesday in Rockingham County Circuit Court on behalf of Christian teachers who challenged Harrisonburg City Public Schools. Photographer: Gina Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Gina Moon)
Teachers said they were also expected to do so without notifying parents or asking for their consent. Harrisonburg Public Schools' anti-discrimination policy threatened discipline and even “termination” for teachers if they violated it.
Both sides reached an agreement that approved by the Board of Education Teachers make religious accommodations on Tuesdays.
In the settlement, the school board argued that it did not require staff to ask or use students' preferred names or pronouns.[do] “We do not support hiding or withholding information from parents,” the board agreed to continue informing staff about available religious accommodations.
Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights and senior advisor to ADF, said that all teachers are “constitutionally required to carry out their duties in a way that is consistent with their religious beliefs, including how they address students and what important information they share with them.” It is protected under the. parents. “
“We are pleased to resolve this case favorably on behalf of our client and ensure that the Harrisonburg City School Board respects the right of all teachers to speak out based on their faith,” Anderson said. said.
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The Alliance Defending Freedom won a legal victory Tuesday in Rockingham County Circuit Court on behalf of Christian teachers who challenged Harrisonburg City Public Schools.
“The Harrisonburg City Schools Division is pleased that this lawsuit has been resolved. From the beginning, we have treated all students and staff with dignity and respect,” the Harrisonburg Public Schools Board said in a statement. Prior to the litigation, we were open to working together to address diverse needs, as evidenced by our interactions with ADF in early 2022.
“Our commitment is reflected in the Board of Education's policies and actions, including the adoption of a formal Religious Accommodation Policy (Policy 682) more than a year ago and the implementation of staff training in August of this year. Our efforts demonstrate our dedication to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment.
“This case has been concluded because both the informal and formal processes we have always encouraged have proven effective. We are pleased with this resolution and hope it can be achieved without litigation.” I wish it were better.”
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ADF won a similar case in November in which the Virginia State Board of Education fired a teacher who refused to use the student's preferred pronouns.
An attorney for ADF told FOX News Digital at the time that the settlement had “seismic implications.”
“This protects all teachers in Virginia, and its rationale should guide other courts in addressing similar issues,” said ADF President and CEO Kristen Wagoner. ” he said.
The Virginia-based West Point School Board agrees to pay $575,000 in damages and attorney fees to former high school teacher Peter Vlaming, who refused to call a transgender student by his preferred pronouns. did.
