A Kansas teacher who sued after being punished for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns received a $95,000 settlement this week, bringing her legal challenge finally to a close.
Attorneys for Christian teacher Pamela Ricard, who taught math at Fort Riley Middle School, are calling Geary County School District’s SETTLEMENT a “victory for free speech at public schools.” The school district also has been ordered to pay Ricard’s legal fees.
The 58-year-old Ricard filed a lawsuit against the school district after being suspended for three days in 2021 for not using a transgender student’s preferred pronouns and name. After being told the individual no longer identifies as female, the teacher reportedly called the student “miss” and included her last name to avoid the usage of the student’s preferred first name.
Ricard, a Christian, said she felt it violated her religious beliefs to start using male pronouns.. At the time, the Geary County School District reportedly didn’t have official policies in place mandating such use, but trainings reportedly started the same semester Ricard was reprimanded.
When Ricard asked for a religious exemption, she was reportedly denied and feared she would face additional penalties unless she complied. Ricard filed the lawsuit in March, seeking damages and for her disciplinary record to be clear of any infractions. She argued in the legal challenge her free speech and exercise of religion were violated by the school district. Ms. Ricard was quoted as saying “I believe God created human beings as either male or female, this sex is fixed in each person from the moment of conception, and that it cannot be changed, regardless of an individual person’s feelings, desires, or preferences.”
This gives me a great feeling to see there are still a lot of good God fearing people, who are willing to lay it all on the line if need be to defend God and his laws for us as humans to live by. God bless Ms. Ricard for standing up for what is right!
Until next time everyone, God bless you all and your families!
