Virginia Supreme Court Revives Lawsuit by Teacher Fired Over Pronoun Dispute

The court's decision, seen as a landmark victory for freedom of conscience and expression, sends Peter Vlaming's case back to trial.

Virginia's Supreme Court has revived a lawsuit by Peter Vlaming, a teacher who was fired for refusing to use a transgender student's preferred pronouns, citing his Christian faith.
The court's decision overturns a lower court's dismissal of Vlaming's case, which now returns to a lower court for trial.
Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School, had agreed to use the student's preferred name but avoided using pronouns to not violate his religious beliefs.
The school board fired Vlaming in 2018 for violating its nondiscrimination policy.
The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is seen as a landmark victory for freedom of conscience and expression in the state.