The world is changing rapidly, with some celebrating these shifts as progress while others see them as steps backward. Pamela Richard, a teacher from Kansas, found herself at the center of this cultural debate after standing firm on her deeply held beliefs — even when it meant facing suspension.
While working at Geary County Schools, Richard was suspended for three days for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns. The student, biologically female at birth, had asked to be addressed by a different first name and pronouns aligning with a different gender. To navigate this, Richard chose to refer to the student respectfully as “Miss [legal/enrolled last name],” hoping to find common ground. However, the school administration deemed this insufficient.
The suspension came with the directive that employees must “make an effort to utilize the pronouns an individual requests to be identified by.” Feeling this policy conflicted with her conscience and religious convictions, Richard took legal action.
Her lawsuit explained, “Ms. Richard is a Christian who holds sincere religious beliefs based on traditional biblical teachings about human identity and biological sex. She believes that sex is determined by God at conception and is unchangeable, regardless of personal feelings or preferences.”
In a landmark decision, a federal court ruled in Richard’s favor in May, awarding her $95,000. Her attorney emphasized that she is now “free to speak without violating her conscience,” including communicating with parents in a manner consistent with her beliefs and school requirements.
The court also struck down policies that prevented staff from disclosing students’ preferred names or pronouns to their parents, further upholding Richard’s right to act in accordance with her convictions.
As of now, Geary County Schools have not issued any statements regarding the ruling.