A former teacher in the United States has been awarded $450,000 (£362,000) after she claimed she was forced to resign for refusing to use transgender students' preferred pronouns.
Vivian Geraghty sued the Jackson Local School District in 2022, alleging her First Amendment rights were violated when she was punished for declining to use students' preferred names and pronouns.
The settlement follows an August ruling from the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, which found the school's "pronoun practice was not neutral" and that requiring Geraghty to use preferred names constituted "compelled speech".
The teacher had cited her Christian beliefs for refusing to comply with the students' requests.
In August 2022, two students in Geraghty's language arts class requested to be called by different names than those listed on the school register.
The teacher acknowledged these requests were "part of the students' social transition" but refused based on her religious beliefs.
Court documents show Geraghty "wanted those students out of her classroom" and continued using their birth names.
One of the affected students later approached a school counsellor to complain about "one of my teachers dead-naming me all the time in class".
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Geraghty subsequently met with the school's head teacher, Kacy Carter, seeking "an accommodation so that students would not continue to feel uncomfortable".
During this meeting, she explained her religious views prevented her from using preferred names or pronouns.
According to the lawsuit, Geraghty was told in a second meeting with Carter and district employee Monica Myers that "it was going to be a problem" if she did not comply with the students' requests.
During a third meeting, Geraghty claims Carter told her: "If that is your final decision, then we need a letter of resignation effective today."
However, Carter and Myers allege Geraghty stated she didn't think she could work for the school anymore, saying: "I guess I'll resign."
The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Geraghty, claimed the school failed to offer alternative solutions such as moving her to a different class or using students' surnames.
"The school tried to force Vivian to accept and repeat the school's viewpoint on issues that go to the foundation of morality and human identity, like what makes us male or female, by ordering her to personally participate in the social transition of her students," said Logan Spena, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.
In response to the settlement, the school district issued a statement saying it "remains dedicated to navigating complex and changing legal environments in a manner that prioritises student safety and well-being".
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Vivian Geraghty sued the Jackson Local School District in 2022, alleging her First Amendment rights were violated when she was punished for declining to use students' preferred names and pronouns.
The settlement follows an August ruling from the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, which found the school's "pronoun practice was not neutral" and that requiring Geraghty to use preferred names constituted "compelled speech".
The teacher had cited her Christian beliefs for refusing to comply with the students' requests.
In August 2022, two students in Geraghty's language arts class requested to be called by different names than those listed on the school register.
The teacher acknowledged these requests were "part of the students' social transition" but refused based on her religious beliefs.
Court documents show Geraghty "wanted those students out of her classroom" and continued using their birth names.
One of the affected students later approached a school counsellor to complain about "one of my teachers dead-naming me all the time in class".
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Geraghty subsequently met with the school's head teacher, Kacy Carter, seeking "an accommodation so that students would not continue to feel uncomfortable".
During this meeting, she explained her religious views prevented her from using preferred names or pronouns.
According to the lawsuit, Geraghty was told in a second meeting with Carter and district employee Monica Myers that "it was going to be a problem" if she did not comply with the students' requests.
During a third meeting, Geraghty claims Carter told her: "If that is your final decision, then we need a letter of resignation effective today."
However, Carter and Myers allege Geraghty stated she didn't think she could work for the school anymore, saying: "I guess I'll resign."
The Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Geraghty, claimed the school failed to offer alternative solutions such as moving her to a different class or using students' surnames.
"The school tried to force Vivian to accept and repeat the school's viewpoint on issues that go to the foundation of morality and human identity, like what makes us male or female, by ordering her to personally participate in the social transition of her students," said Logan Spena, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.
In response to the settlement, the school district issued a statement saying it "remains dedicated to navigating complex and changing legal environments in a manner that prioritises student safety and well-being".
Find Out More...