The world has changed a lot in recent years. Some see these changes as progress, while others feel they are steps backward.
Pamela Richard, a teacher from Kansas, showed bravery by sticking to her beliefs, even though it led to her suspension. She worked at Geary County Schools and was suspended for three days because she chose not to use a student’s preferred pronoun.
Richard explains that she was suspended for calling a biologically female student by the student’s legal last name.
Earlier, a school counselor had told her that the student wanted to use a different first name and be identified as a different gender. The student was originally assigned female at birth.
To avoid using the student’s chosen name, Richard decided to call her “Miss [legal last name],” thinking it was a fair compromise. However, this approach didn’t work out.
Richard was suspended because staff were required to use the pronouns and names that individuals asked to be identified by.
She later filed a lawsuit, arguing that the policy went against her personal beliefs. The lawsuit explained that Ms. Richard is a Christian who follows traditional Christian beliefs about gender. She believes that God created people as either male or female, and that this cannot be changed, no matter what someone feels or prefers.
In May, the teacher won $95,000 in federal court. Her attorney said she could now speak with parents in a way that follows her duties at school without going against her beliefs.
The school’s policy had banned staff from telling parents about a student’s preferred name or pronouns and allowed staff to avoid using pronouns for students whose gender identity differed from their biological sex. The court decided this policy was not acceptable.
The school has not commented on the lawsuit.
