Fired teacher who didn’t use transgender student’s pronouns sues Virginia school board
A teacher who wouldn’t use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns is suing the Virginia school district that fired him.
Peter Vlaming says using the male pronouns “violated his conscience and restricted” his religious freedom, according to a lawsuit filed Monday against the West Point School Board and obtained by The Washington Post.
It happened after an unidentified “ninth-grader came out as a transgender male” last summer. Vlaming, who had previously taught the student French, said he would use the high schooler’s new name, The News & Observer reported at the time.
But Vlaming tried to avoid referring to the student using the pronouns “he,” “his” and “him,” the report said.
The school board voted to fire him in December after Superintendent Laura Abel said he was being discriminatory, news outlets reported at the time.
Now, Vlaming says school district leaders violated his rights to free speech and religion, NBC News reports.
Vlaming’s “conscience and religious practice prohibits him from intentionally lying, and he sincerely believes that referring to a female as a male by using an objectively male pronoun is telling a lie,” the lawsuit obtained by The Washington Post said.
Administrators said Vlaming would lose his job at West Point High School if he didn’t use the student’s preferred pronouns, and that ultimatum was a “substantial burden” for the teacher, according to the document.
The lawsuit also alleges the school board didn’t have rules about the use of pronouns, NBC News reports.
“The School Board denies any liability to Mr. Vlaming, and we intend to vigorously defend against any claims,” West Point Public Schools said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “The School Board does not intend to comment further on the pending litigation at this time.”
Vlaming, who filed his lawsuit in King William County, is also suing for “breach of contract,” WTVR reports. He hopes to get $1 million in damages, NBC News reports.
West Point is about 40 miles east of Richmond.
This story was originally published October 2, 2019 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Fired teacher who didn’t use transgender student’s pronouns sues Virginia school board."
