Va. teacher fired for refusing to use student’s preferred pronouns reaches $575K settlement
A Virginia teacher who was fired for refusing to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns has reached a settlement with the West Point School Board, securing $575,000 in damages and legal fees.
The school board agreed to settle Peter Vlaming’s wrongful termination lawsuit after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last December it had violated Vlaming’s rights.
In 2018, the school board fired the former French teacher for violating school board policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on gender identity.
Vlaming had refused to use male pronouns when referring to a trans student in his class. Following his dismissal, he sued the school board, claiming that the request to use the student’s preferred pronouns violated his conscience and went against his religious and philosophical convictions.
