An attorney recently won a case involving a Virginia school board that fired a teacher over pronoun usage. They told Fox News Digital the outcome has "seismic implications."
Kristen Waggoner, President of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), expressed her relief. "Tolerance is now a two-way street," she said. The school board's decision had sparked controversy.
The West Point School Board agreed to pay Peter Vlaming, a former high school teacher, $575,000 in damages and legal fees. Vlaming had refused to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns, citing his religious beliefs.
Vlaming, a French teacher for seven years, was fired after the board unanimously voted against him. He had tried to accommodate the student by using their new name but avoided using any pronouns. This wasn't enough for school officials.
The school insisted Vlaming use the student’s pronouns even when the student wasn’t present, according to ADF. This led to a legal battle that would eventually make its way to the Virginia Supreme Court.
Months before his victory, the Virginia Supreme Court reinstated the case, overturning a lower court's dismissal. They ruled that Vlaming's rights had been violated by the school board.
"Peter’s Christian faith prevented him from lying about biological reality," Waggoner stated. She added that the victory has garnered massive support for Vlaming on social media.
The settlement cleared Vlaming's record and reinforced policies respecting free speech. He is now allowed to return to teaching without fear of retaliation, along with his former colleagues.
"I am relieved our rights were upheld," Vlaming told Fox News. He expressed shock that a legal fight was necessary to defend freedoms of expression and religion.