In recent years, the world has undergone significant change, with some seeing it as progress while others feel it’s a move in the wrong direction.
Pamela Ricard, a teacher from Kansas, took a stand for her beliefs, despite facing the risk of suspension. While employed at Geary County Schools in Kansas, she was suspended for three days after declining to use a student's preferred pronouns.
Ricard stated that her suspension stemmed from addressing a biologically female student by the student’s legal last name. Prior to this, a school counselor had informed her that the student preferred a different first name and gender identity.
To avoid using the student's preferred name, Ricard opted to call the student “Miss [legal last name],” believing it was a reasonable compromise. However, this decision led to her suspension for not using the pronouns the student requested.
Ricard filed a lawsuit, arguing that the school’s policy conflicted with her religious beliefs.
“Ms. Ricard is a Christian and holds sincere religious beliefs consistent with the traditional Christian and biblical understanding of the human person and biological sex,” the lawsuit stated. “Ms. Ricard believes that God created human beings as either male or female, that this sex is fixed from the moment of conception and cannot be changed, regardless of an individual’s feelings or preferences.”
In May, Ricard was awarded $95,000 in federal court. Her attorney noted that she could now communicate with parents without compromising her beliefs, as long as she addressed students and parents consistently. She also no longer had to use pronouns that did not align with students’ biological sex, and staff were prohibited from sharing students' preferred names or pronouns with parents. The court ruled against the school's policy.
The school has not commented on the outcome of the lawsuit.
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