Virginia school board prohibits mandatory use of preferred pronouns

Virginia School Board Updates Pronoun Policy

A school board in Virginia has revised its policy to stop employees from compelling teachers or students to use pronouns that differ from their biological sex. This change, decided on December 15 during a meeting, was passed by a 7-2 vote and aims to amend the professional conduct guidelines.

The policy, as reported recently, states that all employees are prohibited from forcing others to address them or refer to them in a manner that infringes on anyone’s constitutionally protected rights. Furthermore, staff are instructed not to use personal titles or pronouns that don’t align with a student’s or colleague’s gender identity.

The decision followed almost an hour of public comments, where several supporters of LGBTQ rights voiced their concerns about the measure. Angela Swigert, Chair of the Chesapeake Public Schools Board of Education, defended the change by describing the use of alternative pronouns as a “controversial and complex issue” that should primarily be handled by families outside the classroom. She emphasized that fostering mutual respect is the aim of these changes.

“We cannot force individuals to adopt alternative pronouns and titles if they fundamentally oppose their use,” Swigert mentioned during the meeting.

This updated policy particularly concerns district employees, but does not restrict staff from voluntarily using different pronouns among themselves. Swigert added that how these issues are handled with students will continue to be addressed individually, facilitating transparency with parents.

The decision faced significant backlash, particularly from the editorial board of a local newspaper, which criticized the updated pronoun policy for potentially excluding transgender individuals from serving as faculty in the district. They argued that the school board’s actions reflect a capitulation to discrimination, labeling it as a disservice to the community’s values.

Teachers nationwide are taking legal action against school districts due to similar forced pronoun policies, claiming such mandates breach free speech rights under the First Amendment. Notably, in a related incident, the West Point School Board in Virginia settled for $575,000 with a former teacher fired for not using a transgender student’s preferred pronouns. Similarly, an Ohio teacher received $450,000 after being compelled to resign for resisting a similar policy.