An Ohio school district has agreed to a $450,000 settlement with a middle school teacher, Vivian Geraghty, who was forced to resign after refusing to use a transgender student’s chosen pronouns. Geraghty, who taught English at Jackson Memorial Middle School, filed a lawsuit against the Jackson Local School District for violating her First Amendment rights and freedom of speech.
Represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Geraghty claimed that the district mandated that teachers use the preferred names and pronouns of students who expressed a gender identity different from their biological sex. The district required educators to participate in the social transition of students, which Geraghty argued went against her religious beliefs and scientific understanding of gender.
In August 2022, after being informed by a school counselor of the district’s new policy, Geraghty sought a compromise with the principal, Kacy Carter, to avoid violating her beliefs. However, she was told that if she could not set aside her religious convictions, she should resign. Geraghty chose not to comply, citing her deeply held Christian beliefs that a person’s gender is determined by biological sex, not personal identity.
The ADF argued that the district’s actions were a violation of Geraghty’s constitutional rights, particularly her freedom of speech and religion. ADF Legal Counsel Logan Spena emphasized that the school could not force Geraghty to adopt the district’s stance on issues of morality and identity. “The First Amendment prohibits that abuse of power,” Spena said.
The settlement, which follows similar cases in Virginia, highlights the growing tension between religious freedom and policies supporting transgender rights in schools. Geraghty’s case is seen as a significant victory for those advocating for religious accommodations in public education.
