After this teacher was fired for refusing to use a trans student’s pronouns, the school board settled with him and gave him his job back. Praise God!

From The Epoch Times. A Virginia school board has agreed to pay $575,000 in damages and legal fees to settle a lawsuit brought by former high school French teacher Peter Vlaming, who was dismissed after refusing to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns, citing religious convictions.

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The settlement, announced on Sept. 30 by the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), resolves the case Vlaming filed against the West Point School Board. Vlaming argued that his dismissal violated his First Amendment rights after he refused to comply with the superintendent’s demand that he refer to a transgender student by pronouns inconsistent with the student’s biological sex. …

Vlaming was fired in 2018 after he refused to refer to a transgender student by the student’s preferred male pronouns, citing sincerely held religious beliefs that gender is biologically determined and cannot be changed. Vlaming opted to use the student’s preferred name while avoiding the use of any pronouns. However, school administrators insisted he must use the student’s male pronouns in accordance with the district’s anti-discrimination policy. When Vlaming refused, the school board terminated his employment. …

In response to his dismissal, Vlaming sued the West Point School Board, arguing that the school violated his First Amendment rights under the Virginia Constitution. … Initially, a lower court dismissed the case, finding that Vlaming’s claims did not constitute legally viable causes of action.

The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s dismissal of the Vlaming’s lawsuit, arguing that it raised substantial constitutional questions, while noting that it was the court’s view that the Virginia Constitution “seeks to protect diversity of thought, diversity of speech, diversity of religion, and diversity of opinion.” …

In addition to reinstating the case, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld two key claims: Vlaming’s assertion that his right to freely exercise his religion had been violated, and his breach-of-contract claim against the school board. The ruling paved the way for the settlement announced by ADF on Sept. 30.

Under the terms of the settlement, the West Point School Board will pay $575,000 to Vlaming, covering damages and legal fees. The board has also cleared Vlaming’s termination from his record, allowing Vlaming to pursue teaching positions without the stigma of dismissal. …

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(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA/Pexels)