Teacher Wins Lawsuit Against School Who Forced Her to Deceive Parents About Students’ Gender ‘Pronouns’

A retired teacher in Kansas won $95,000 in a lawsuit against the Geary County school district after she was forced to deceive parents about their children’s gender identity.

QUICK FACTS:
  • Pamela Ricard, a school teacher in Geary County, Kansas, said that the district attempted to make her use students’ preferred gender pronouns in the classroom but hide their preferred identity from parents.
  • Richard sued the district, claiming that this action went against her Christian beliefs.
  • “No school district should ever force teachers to willfully deceive parents or engage in any speech that violates their deeply held religious beliefs,” Ricard’s attorneys said in a statement.
  • “We’re pleased to settle this case favorably on behalf of Pam, and we hope that it will encourage school districts across the country to support the constitutionally protected freedom of teachers to teach and communicate honestly with both children and parents,” the statement continued.
ATTORNEY JOSHUA NEY ON HIS CLIENT BEING FORCED TO DECEIVE PARENTS OVER GENDER PRONOUNS:

“Absurdity and deception has its limits, especially in federal court. I’m glad the case clarifies the financial stakes for school boards if they attempt to force teachers to lie to parents about their students,” Ney said.

BACKGROUND:
  • In 2021, Ricards was suspended from Fort Riley Middle School after she used a student’s wrong “transgender pronouns.”
  • Two days after the initial incident, Ricard discussed the issue with school officials, and later was put on a three-day paid suspension while school officials investigated any possible violations of school board policy, according to a complaint filed against the teacher.
  • Ricard retired in May 2022, and the school board rescinded its policy of forcing teachers to refer to students’ legal pronouns after the lawsuit was filed.

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