Fairfax teacher seeks accommodation to not refer to students by their preferred pronouns
On behalf of a Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) teacher, America First Legal and the Founding Freedoms Law Center, sent a letter to FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid and school administrators on Thursday asking them to not force a Union Mill Elementary School teacher to use
The teacher has been working at FCPS for 15 years.
"At the beginning of this year—for the first time that she can recall—as a part of her teacher training, she was required to confirm that she would affirm a student's gender identity and chosen pronouns, as a part of accepting the , specifically Regulation 2603.2," the letter to FCPS stated.
The teacher's lawyers said she is a Christian "who believes in the teachings of the Bible, specifically that there are two sexes: male and female."
The teacher's lawyer said she objects to the regulations and guidance because they "say nothing about parental notification or involvement, and second, the policy violates her religious beliefs and constitutes compelled speech for her."
The teacher's lawyers said she requested a religious exemption from the school on Oct. 7, 2024, and on Nov. 5, 2024, the school denied her request for religious accommodation.
"Such a denial constitutes a violation of her constitutional and statutorily protected rights, and without suggesting any ways in which FCPS might be able to accommodate her in any of these areas," the teacher's letter to FCPS states.
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In conclusion, the teacher's lawyers requested FCPS to respect her "religious exercise and free speech, to which she is legally entitled, by exempting her from the applicable components of the required training and FCPS Regulation 2603, and allowing her to speak in her classroom in a manner consistent with her religious convictions."
On Thursday, 7News asked FCPS if they are going to grant the teacher an accommodation.
"We just received this legal request, and we are reviewing it," an FCPS spokesperson told 7News.
