Christian Teacher Punished For Refusing to Use Preferred Pronouns Wins Major Victory, Makes Stunning Parental Rights Claim By Billy Hallowell for Faith Wire
A Kansas teacher who sued after being punished for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns received a $95,000 settlement this week, bringing her legal challenge to a successful close.
Attorneys for Christian teacher Pamela Ricard, who taught math at Fort Riley Middle School, are calling Geary County School District’s settlement a “victory for free speech at public schools.” The district will also reportedly cover Ricard’s legal fees.
Tyson Langhofer, the director of the Alliance Defending Freedom Center for Academic Freedom, said his religious liberty law firm is hopeful the case has a ripple effect, according to the Kansas City Star.
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“We hope that it will encourage school districts across the country to support the constitutionally protected freedom of teachers to teach and communicate honestly with both children and parents,” Langhofer said.
As CBN News reported, the 58-year-old Ricard filed a lawsuit against the school district after being suspended for three days in 2021 for not using a transgender student’s preferred pronouns and name.
After being told the individual no longer identifies as female, the teacher reportedly called the student “miss” and included her last name to avoid the usage of the student’s preferred first name.
Ricard, a Christian, felt it violated her religious beliefs to start using male pronouns.
At the time, the Geary County School District reportedly didn’t have official policies in place mandating such use, but trainings reportedly started the same semester Ricard was reprimanded.
When Ricard asked for a religious exemption, she was reportedly denied and feared she would face additional penalties unless she complied.
Ricard filed a lawsuit in March, seeking damages and for her disciplinary record to be clear of any infractions. She argued in the legal challenge her free speech and exercise of religion were violated by the district, according to CBN News.
