According to the attorney representing the teacher, a recent settlement involving a Virginia teacher who was fired for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns has significant implications for free speech and religious rights.
Kristen Waggoner, President and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), told Fox News Digital that the case is a victory for tolerance and freedom, stating, “Tolerance is now a two-way street, not a one-way ratchet for totalitarian ideology.”
The West Point School Board in Virginia agreed to pay Peter Vlaming, a former high school French teacher, $575,000 in damages and attorney’s fees. Vlaming was terminated after refusing to call a transgender student by their preferred pronouns, citing his Christian beliefs.
The lawsuit, filed by ADF in 2019, centered on Vlaming’s dismissal after seven years of teaching. The school board’s unanimous decision to fire Vlaming followed his refusal to use pronouns inconsistent with a student’s biological sex.
However, Vlaming tried accommodating the student by using their preferred name and avoiding pronouns altogether.
Despite these efforts, school officials insisted that Vlaming use the student’s preferred pronouns, even when absent.
In December, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the school board had violated Vlaming’s rights, reinstating the case after a lower court had dismissed it.
Waggoner emphasized the case’s broader implications, saying that it “protects all teachers in Virginia” and could influence similar cases nationwide.
She added that ADF represents many other educators facing similar conflicts between their beliefs and school policies.
In addition to the financial settlement, Vlaming’s record will be cleared, and the West Point School Board agreed to amend its policies to respect free speech.
Vlaming will also be allowed to return to teaching, free from fear of retribution for his religious beliefs.
Vlaming expressed relief over the court’s decision, telling Fox News Digital, “I am so relieved that our fundamental rights of freedom of expression and religion were upheld.” He added that it was bewildering that such a legal battle was necessary to protect these rights in America.
The West Point School Board still needs to respond to requests for comment.
